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ADVENTISM 
AND THE BIBLE 



A STUDY 



J. HENRY MONK 

Eight Years an Adventist 

Graduate, 1910, their Southwestern Junior College, 

Keene, Texas 



Nashville, Tenn. 

McQUIDDY PRINTING COMPANY 

1919 






Copyright, 1919, 

By 

McQUIDDY PRINTING COMPANY, 

Nashville, Tenn. 



JAN 20 1920 



©CI.A561554 






THE AUTHOR INTRODUCED. 



Elder T. W. Field, 

President West Texas Conference, Seventh-Day Adventists. 



MR. MONK was a member of the Seventh- 
Day Adventist Church for eight years; 
attended one of their schools for five 
years under the tutorship of ordained ministers ; 
attended church every Sabbath during these 
school terms, besides many more meetings; at- 
tended our camp meetings and heard some of our 
ablest ministers preach— from the president of 
the General Conference down. . . . He read 
much of our literature and spent several sum- 
mers selling the same. He also taught two terms 
in one of our schools, and, in doing so, he taught 
the things that are in our books. Besides, he was 
a licensed minister for two years, and preached 
the things he now condemns. — "Reply to J. H. 
Monk's Tract, 'Seventh-Day Adventism and Its 
Fruits' " (page 23). 



To that ever -increasing company of men 
and women who have found their way out of 
the meshes of Adventism, to those who are 
seeking the way out, and to those who may be 
led to seek such way by the perusal of these 
pages, this volume is sincerely dedicated. 

The Author. 



PREFACE. 

THE reader will note that I have omitted 
sometimes, in all probability, at the ex- 
pense of the matter considered, the usual 
"authorities" generally expected in a work of 
this kind. Books nowadays have grown to be a 
sort of compendium of what great preachers, 
great statesmen, great editors, and great pro- 
fessors think on the subjects treated. I have 
chosen to give a true statement of the views of 
Adventists, to apply the Bible teachings thereto, 
and then to draw the conclusions, after the neces- 
sary generalizations. What great men have to 
say on the subjects treated has mattered little 
with me. Great men have said all sorts of things. 

My rule has been: What does the Bible say? 

The book has been written on what might be 
called the "popular" basis. If at times, therefore, 
the matter may seem to be presented in an ab- 
surdly simple form, the reader will be calling in 
question, if he complains, the one point at which 
the author aimed from the very beginning. 

Seventh-Day Adventism is a mixture of Chris- 
tianity and Judaism — abnormally in favor of the 
latter. It is the counterpart of that movement 
against which the apostle Paul addressed the Ga- 
latian letter. While professing to be Christian, 
it aims constantly to thrust back on to the necks 



6 Adventism and the Bible. 

of Christians "the yoke of bondage" from which 
Christ has set us free. (Gal. 5:1; Acts 15: 10.) 
There is not a book on the market at the pres- 
ent time that discusses Adventism from a system- 
atic standpoint and in an unbiased manner. I, 
therefore, in placing this volume before the read- 
ing public, trust that its reception will be as cor- 
dial and beneficial as has been the sincerity of 
^nirit that prompted its production. 

Jay Henry Monk. 

Washington, D. C, October 1, 1919. 



CONTENTS. 

The Author Introduced 3 

Preface 5 

Chapter I. 
The Second Advent 9 

Chapter II. 

Miller and His Mistake 12 

Chapter III. 
The Midnight Cry 20 

Chapter IV. 
Crozier's Sanctuary Question Considered 24 

Chapter V. 
The Shut Door 33 

Chapter VI. 
Mrs. White and Her Visions 37 

Chapter VII. 
The Testimonies of Mrs. White 46 

Chapter VIII. 
Why "Great Controversy" Was Revised 52 

Chapter IX. 

The Source of Mrs. White's Inspiration 59 

Chapter X. 

Her Prophecies 68 

Chapter XI. 
The Law 72 

Chapter XII. 
The Covenants and Israel 82 

Chapter XIII. 
The Decalogue Not Eternal 89 

Chapter XIV. 
The Law Abolished 98 



8 Contents. 

Chapter XV. 
The Nature of the Sabbath Day 105 

Chapter XVI. 
The Sabbath from Eden to the Exodus 109 

Chapter XVII. 
Christ's Attitude Toward the Sabbath 124 

Chapter XVIII. 
The Sabbath in the Days of the Apostles 127 

Chapter XIX. 
The Sabbath Abolished 137 

Chapter XX. 
"On the Morrow After the Sabbath" 148 

Chapter XXI. 
The Lord's Day in Gospel History 159 

Chapter XXII. 
The Lord's Day in the Second Century 170 

Chapter XXIII. 
The Nature of First-Day Observance 176 

Chapter XXIV. 

Advent Sophistry 184 

Chapter XXV. 

Advent Admissions 192 

Chapter XXVI. 
Constantine's Sunday Law and the Mark of the Beast 203 

Chapter XXVIL 
The Sure Word of Prophecy 211 

Chapter XXVIII. 
A Glance at the Apocalypse 225 

Chapter XXIX. 

Revelation Revealed 234 

Chapter XXX. 
The Rebirth of Adventism 245 



CHAPTER I. 



The Second Advent. 



Relative to the second coming of Christ, there 
are only two things about which any Christian 
should feel greatly concerned. They are, (1) 
that he will come again (John 14 : 3 ; Acts 1:11; 
Acts 3 : 20 ; Acts 20 : 23 ; 1 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3 : 20 ; 
2 Thess. 1:7; Tit. 2: 13; Rev. 1:7), and (2) 
that his people should be looking for him (Matt. 
24: 42) and be ready (Matt. 24: 44). 

The Manner of His Coming. 

While Christians of all communions are united 
in the belief that he is to come again, there is a 
marked difference as to the manner of his coming. 

We are told by inspiration that the "same Je- 
sus" who went into heaven will come again "in 
like manner'' as he went away. (Acts 1: 11.) 
As he went visibly away, it seems plain that he 
will visibly return. But, others point out, as he 
went secretly away (so far as the "world" was 
concerned), he will secretly return. 

This view is severely offset, however, in Matt. 
24: 28, where the Lord warned his disciples 
against believing in a "secret" return of their 
Master ; and in verse 27 of this chapter we read 
that "as the lightning cometh forth from the 



10 Adventism and the Bible. 

east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be 
the coming of the Son of man." 

The word here translated "lightning" is the 
word astrapee, the regular word for electrical 
discharges in the heavens. The same word is 
found in Luke 10: 31, where it is stated by the 
Lord that Satan as astrapee fell from heaven. 

This passage does not allow of the doctrine, 
advocated by some, that "lightning" in this pas- 
sage means a "lighting up," such as the dawning 
of the day. 

John, on the isle of Patmos, foretold that "ev- 
ery eye" will see him when he comes. (Rev. 1: 
7.) 

Signs of His Coming. 

Matt. 24 is the great second-advent chapter in 
the New Testament. Here the "signs" that fore- 
tell his coming are found. They are as follows: 

1. "The sun shall be darkened." (Matt. 24: 
29.) 

2. "The moon shall not give her light." 

3. "The stars shall fall from heaven." 

4. "The powers of heaven shall be shaken." 

5. "The sign of the Son of man in heaven." 

6. "Then shall all the tribes of the earth 
mourn." 

7. "And they shall see the Son of man coming." 
Adventists contend that the first three of this 

catalogue of six "signs" have come to pass. No 
one, so far as I know, teaches that the last three 
have appeared. 



Adventism and the Bible. 11 

Noted Advent Preachers. 

Human beings move in schools. Let a Darwin 
appear, and a group of scientists will attach 
themselves to him ; let a Columbus arise, and the 
western waters are flooded with ships; or a Lu- 
ther, and reformers are seen everywhere. Ed- 
ward Irwin, of England, 1795, made himself felt 
on the subject of the second coming of Christ. 
Immediately there came into being the usual 
"school" of thinkers on this question. Early Ad- 
vent preachers are these: Bengal and Kelbar, of 
Germany; W. E. Davis, of South Carolina; Jo- 
seph Wolfe and Edward Irwin, of England; 
"Ben Ezra," of Spain; and Henzepeter, of Hol- 
land. ("Great Second Advent Movement," Chap- 
ter V.) 

William Miller, the founder of Adventism in 
America, was a sort of "last rose of summer" of 
this school of second-advent preachers. Not only 
did he come, in point of time, after all the others, 
but, so coming, he had the benefit of their labors 
and views. From a careful study of the many 
Advent publications and views afloat in his day, 
Miller formulated his theories of which we are to 
read in the following pages. 



CHAPTER II. 



Miller and His Mistake. 



Miller was born in the State of New York in 
1782, married in 1803, and began preaching in 
1831. He was a farmer. His school advantages 
had been limited. 

Miller read Advent literature. It was plenti- 
ful. J. N. Andrews, Advent historian, states 
that as early as 1842 "Advent publications had 
been sent to every missionary station in Europe, 
Asia, Africa, and America." {"Great Second 
Advent Movement," page 105.) From his read- 
ing of this literature his attention was attracted 
by the following subjects: 

1. The fourth kingdom of Dan. 7. 

2. The little horn of the same chapter. 

3. The little horn of the eighth chapter. 

4. The length of the prophetic periods. 

5. The commencement of the seventy weeks. 

6. Their connection with the twenty-three hun- 
dred days. 

7. The nature of Christ's second coming. 

8. The return of the Jews. 

9. The resurrection. 

James White, author of a life of Miller, states 
that "Miller laid no claim to originality in his po- 
sition respecting any of the above points," since 



Adventism and the Bible. 13 

they were "established opinions of the church." 
("Life of Miller," Chapter X.) 

The only point wherein he differed from this 
"school" of Advent preachers was in his theory 
that the world would end "somewhere between 
March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844." 

Miller was a close student of the following 
well-known authors: Luther, Calvin, Mede, 
Home, Newton, Hale, Clarke, Brown, Faber, 
Noel, Hopkins. ("Life of Miller" page 189.) 

After spending nine years in the lecture field, 

Joshua V. Himes said to Miller: "There is but 

/■ 

little knowledge on the subject after all you have 
done." Miller replied: "I know it, Brother 
Himes. ... I stand quite alone. . . . 
No one as yet seems to enter into the spirit and 
object of my mission." ("Life of Miller" page 
128.) Miller's movement was limited. 

Miller the Founder of Adventism. 
' James White contends that time setters and 
apostates from Miller's views have "departed 
from the position of Miller, . . . and have 
left the field to Seventh-Day Adventists, who 
stand upon the original Advent faith." ("Life 
of Miller, page 370.) 

On April 23, 1845, a company of "Adventists" 
assembled at Albany, New York, "to consult to- 
gether," and William Miller was elected chair- 
man of a committee delegated to draw up a dec- 
laration of doctrines. Ten articles were sub- 
mitted, each one of which is held to this day by 



14 Adventism and the Bible. 

Seventh-Day Adventists. ("Life of Miller," 
pages 59, 3UU.) 

Miller's Mistake. 

The second-advent doctrines preached by Miller 
were the following: 

1. A "day" as used in prophecy means a literal 
year. 

2. The twenty-three hundred days of Dan. 8: 
14 are twenty-three hundred years. 

3. The seventy weeks of Dan. 9: 24, 25 are 
four hundred and ninety years, constituting the 
first four hundred and ninety of the twenty-three 
hundred years. 

4. The seventy weeks and the twenty-three 
hundred days began in 457 B.C. 

5. March 21, 1844, was the end of the twenty- 
three hundred years. 

6. March 21, 1844, the sanctuary was to be 
cleansed. 

7. Cleansing the sanctuary meant purifying 
the earth with fire. 

Miller's Position Considered. 
Rebuilding Jerusalem. 

The seventy weeks of Dan. 8: 14 were to be 
dated, according to the prophecy, from the "going 
forth" of the "commandment to restore and build 
Jerusalem." (Dan. 9: 25.) To the uninformed 
reader this seems to be no problem at all. Find 
the historical date when the commandment was 



Adventism and the Bible. 15 

given to restore Jerusalem, and — presto! — there 
it is. But it isn't. 

Jerusalem was destroyed, 608 B.C., by Nebu- 
chadnezzar. The Jews were carried away to 
Babylon. There they were to remain seventy 
years. (Dan. 9:2; Jer. 25 : 12 ; 2 Chron. 36 : 21.) 
The period of their exile ended, therefore, in the 
year 538 B.C. Cyrus, king of Persia, who had 
the meanwhile conquered^ the Babylonians, is- 
sued a decree that year (538 B.C.) that the Jews 
should return to Jerusalem, rebuild their holy 
city and their temple. (Ez. 1: 1, 2.) 

Isaiah had already foretold that Cyrus would 
give such a decree: "Saying to Jerusalem, Thou 
shalt be built ; and to the temple, Thy foundation 
shall be laid." (Isa. 44: 28.) 

This decree was given in the year 538 B.C. 
The twenty-three hundred days and the seventy 
weeks were to be dated from the going forth of 
this decree. (See Dan. 9 : 24, 25.) 

Under this decree 43,360 Jews and 3,000 serv- 
ants returned to Jerusalem and began the work 
of reconstruction. (Ez. 2: 64.) The next year 
(537 B.C.) the foundation of the temple was laid. 
(Ez. 3: 8.) The Samaritans, enemies of the 
Jews, immediately to the north, petitioned Cam- 
byses and Smerdis in rapid succession, sons of 
Cyrus and rulers after him on the Persian throne, 
to have the work of reconstruction stopped. It 
was stopped. 

Darius took the throne in the year 521 B.C. 
During his second year the Jews succeeded in ob- 



16 Adventism and the Bible. 

taining his consent to proceed with their work of 
rebuilding. (Ez. 6: 8.) That was 520 B.C. 
The temple was finished in the year 516 B.C., 
"which was in the sixth year of the reign of Da- 
rius." (Ez. 6: 15, 16.) 

Here, then, not only do we have a command- 
ment given for the rebuilding of the temple, but 
we have a rebuilt temple as a result of that com- 
mandment. 

Adventists insist that the decree of Cyrus was 
for the rebuilding of the temple only. But that 
will not do. Cyrus was to say to "Jerusalem" 
that "thou" shalt be built. (Isa. 44: 28.) 

Half a century later (458 B.C.) Ezra was per- 
mitted to go up from Babylon to Jerusalem, un- 
der the commission as "governor" of the Holy 
Land. He was to "set magistrates and judges," 
and was to offer sacrifices "upon the altar of the 
house of the Lord" which was then "in Jerusa- 
lem." (Ez. 7: 11-25.) 

Ezra did not go up from Babylon to Jerusalem 
as a builder, but as a governor. 

Fourteen years later (444 B.C.) Nehemiah re- 
ceived a commission from Artaxerxes to return 
to Jerusalem and reconstruct the wall which had 
lain waste since 608 B.C. 

The important dates thus far are these : 

538 B.C. Commandment given. 

516 B.C. Temple finished. 

458 B.C. Ezra sent to Jerusalem as governor. 

444 B.C. Walls of Jerusalem finished by Nehe- 
miah. 



Adventism and the Bible. 17 

Application of the Prophecy. 

Each day in prophecy meant a year, literally 
considered. (Num. 14: 34; Ezek. 4: 6.) The 
seventy weeks, four hundred and ninety days, 
were four hundred and ninety years. The 
twenty-three hundred days were twenty-three 
hundred years. The four hundred and ninety 
years and the twenty-three hundred "days" were 
to begin together. They were to begin with the 
"going forth of the commandment" to restore and 
build Jerusalem. The only commandment that 
was ever given for the rebuilding of Jerusalem 
was given by Cyrus, 538 B.C. The four hundred 
and ninety years were to reach to the birth of 
Christ, and the twenty-three hundred years were 
to reach to his second coming. But four hun- 
dred and ninety years taken from 538 B.C. brings 
one to 44 B.C., and that is a useless date. Just 
so twenty-three hundred years taken from 538 
B.C. brings one to the year 1762 A.D., and that 
also is a useless date. 

The reader can see now the task that Miller 
was up against. But he believed that the twenty- 
three hundred years could be made to reach to 
the day of Christ's second coming; and he was 
certain, therefore, that 538 B.C. was not the cor- 
rect beginning point. 

The next probable date connected with the re- 
construction of Jerusalem was the date when Ne- 
hemiah was commissioned to finish the rebuilt 
city by reconstructing the walls. That was 444 
B.C. Had there been no seventy weeks to be con- 



18 Adventism and the Bible. 

sidered, Miller, beyond doubt, would have ac- 
cepted this date as the starting point. But the 
seventy weeks were to reach to the birth of 
Christ from the date when the commandment was 
given. This date, however, had long been estab- 
lished by Prideaux, Sir Isaac Newton, and the 
list referred to on a recent page, and that date 
was 457 B.C.* Sixty-nine of the seventy weeks 
were to reach to Messiah — that is, four hundred 
and eighty-three of the day-years were to reach 
to Christ. Hence, four hundred and eighty-three 
years from 457 B.C. brings one down to 26 A.D., 
the year Christ was baptized. This, a happy co- 
incident, served the purpose of disposing of the 
seventy weeks for Miller's predecessors; but it 
prepared his tomb relative to the twenty-three 
hundred years. 

The year Ezra was sent to Jerusalem as gov- 
ernor, therefore, was the correct beginning point 
of the prophetic periods of Dan. 8 : 14 and 9 : 24, 
25. True enough, there was no commandment 
given at that time for the rebuilding of Jerusa- 
lem; but that which has to be a certain way — 
well, it just has to be! And here, then, 457 B.C., 
is where Miller tied one end of the twenty-three 
hundred years, and 1844 is where the other end 
had to be terminated. Naturally enough, he be- 
gan to number the twenty-three hundred years 



*The seventh year of Artaxerxes was 458 B.C., not 457. The 
following- standard works of authority testify that Artaxerxes be- 
gan to reign in the year 465 B.C.: Twentieth Century Encyclope- 
dia, New Standard Encyclopedia. Century Dictionary and Cyclope- 
dia, and Chambers' Encyclopedia. His seventh year, therefore, 
could not have been later than 458 B.C. The New Standard Encyclo- 
pedia says: "In his seventh year, 458." 



Adventism and the Bible. 19 

with the first day of the first month of the year 
457 B.C. The last day of the twenty-three hun- 
dred years, therefore, just had to be March 21, 
1844 (Jewish time considered). On March 21, 
1844, therefore, the Lord would come. 



CHAPTER III. 



The Midnight Cry. 



Miller's prediction was that the world would 
end "somewhere between March 21, 1843, and 
March 21, 1844." ("Life of Miller;' page 363.) 
He regarded March 21, 1844, as the date for 
Christ's appearance. 

When March 21, 1844, passed and Christ did 
not come, Miller, confessing that he had been 
wrong in his calculations, went back to the farm, 
whence he had come thirteen years before his 
disappointment, and died without taking any 
leading part in the new speculations. 

But readers of Adventism know that October 
22, 1844, is the date that is generally thought of 
as the Advent disappointment. That is very true, 
and it came about after this fashion : 

The Seventh-Month Movement. 
After the passing of March 21, 1844, there be- 
gan to be preached that the correct date when 
the Lord would come was October 22 of that year. 
The promoters of this new theory were S. S. 
Snow, George Starrs, James White, N. South- 
ard, Stickridge Howland, and a number of oth- 
ers. ("Great Second Advent Movement," page 
170.) Miller himself did not accept the theory 
until "about two or three weeks previous to the 
22d of October." ("Life of Miller;' page 36b.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 21 

The reason for this new theory was this: 
From a study of Ez. 7 it is seen that Ezra did not 
reach Jerusalem with the commission as gov- 
ernor in the spring (March), but in the autumn 
(October). Hence, practically speaking, they 
argued that the decree did not go into effect on 
March 22, 457 B.C., but on October 22, 457 B.C. 
For that reason the twenty-three hundred years 
would not end on March 21, 1844, but on Octo- 
ber 22, 1844. {"Great Controversy," page £95, 
Old Edition.) 

Upon the first day of the first month (457 
B.C.) Ezra began to go up from Babylon, and 
upon the first day of the fifth month he reached 
Jerusalem. (Ez. 7: 9.) 

The reader may ask : "Why did they not begin 
to date the twenty-three hundred years with the 
first day of the fifth month — the day Ezra ar- 
rived in Jerusalem?" It really seems that they 
would have ; but the twenty-three hundred years, 
my dear reader, were not begun until two months 
and ten days later. The twenty-three hundred 
days were begun with the day of atonement, 
which was the tenth day of the seventh month. 
The reader will ask: "Why skip two whole 
months and ten days ?" The writer of these lines 
has asked that very question many a time him- 
self, and the question always puts the would-be 
answerer into a difficult position. Here is the 
way the question is answered by two leading Ad- 
ventist writers : 



22 Adventism and the Bible. 

Uriah Smith: "After he [Ezra] had reached the city, 
the large company that went up with him were to be pro- 
vided with homes and arrangements made for their liv- 
ing, etc. . . . Two months would certainly be short 
enough time to allow for this work, which would bring us 
to the seventh month, or the autumn of the year." 
("Looking Unto Jesus," page 196.) 

J. N. Loughborough: "As the observance of the tenth 
day of the seventh month seemed to be the event which 
marked the beginning of the period, it was shown conclu- 
sively that on the tenth day of the seventh month (Jew- 
ish time) — October 22, 1844 — the twenty-three hundred 
days would end." ("Great Second Advent Movement," 
page 160.) 

Here, then, is a loophole of two months and ten 
days which present-day Adventists would feign 
fill if they were able. And in all this it is clearly 
seen that they lost sight of the original state- 
ment that the twenty-three hundred days were 
to be dated from the ' 'going forth of the com- 
mandment" to rebuild Jerusalem. Now they 
have it that the twenty-three hundred days be- 
gan two months and ten days after Ezra arrived 
in Jerusalem as governor. 

S. S. Snow was the original promoter of this 
"seventh-month movement." During the sum- 
mer of 1844 he began to preach the new theory. 
But "no particular manifestation of its effects 
was seen until about July." {"Second Advent 
Movement," page 158.) 

About this time, midway between March 21 
and October 21, Adventists (Millerites) began to 
fall into Snow's new prophetical net. The Miller- 
ite movement, in other words, came to life. They 



Adventism and the Bible. 23 

had fallen into a lukewarm state after Miller's 
date failed. Their coming to life closely resem- 
bled the parable of the ten virgins spoken of in 
Matt. 25. This confirmed their faith in the new 
speculations. ("Great Second Advent Move- 
ment," Chapter X.; also "Great Controversy" 
page 398.) 

On October 22, therefore, the Lord would come. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Crozier's Sanctuary Question Considered. 

But October 22 passed and the Lord did not 
come. S. S. Snow dropped the question late in 
October precisely as Miller had dropped it late in 
March of that year. 

But just as Snow came to the rescue of the 
Millerite movement immediately after Miller's 
disappointment, so Hiram Edson was destined to 
come to the rescue of the Advent movement im- 
mediately after Snow's disappointment. 

How It Happened. 
Hiram Edson was out in the field praying — 
behind a shock of fodder, so he stated — on Octo- 
ber 22, when the thought came to him that the 
sanctuary to be cleansed was in heaven. He com- 
municated this thought to 0. R. L. Crozier, and 
together they carefully investigated the question 
of the sanctuary from a biblical standpoint. Two 
years later (1846) an elaborate exposition of the 
sanctuary question was printed in the Day Star, 
an Advent paper then published in Canandiagua, 
N. Y. These two men took the position that on 
October 22, 1844, Christ began the work of 
cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, and that he 
would close this work just before he comes again. 
{"Great Second Advent Movement," page 193.) 



\tr 



Adventism and the Bible. 25 

The Edson-Crozier discovery of the heavenly 
sanctuary saved the Advent cause. Adventism, 
as it stands to-day, is a structure built around 
this theory of the sanctuary. 

Edson and Crozier discovered the famous 
"elastic clause" that saved the day for Advent- 
ism. If Christ does not come for a thousand 
years, Adventists may be found preaching that 
he is not yet through with his work of cleansing 
the sanctuary. 

The Edson-Crozier Theory. 
Crozier assumed that there are two apart- 
ments in heaven, just as there were two apart- 
ments in the tabernacle built by Moses. These 
heavenly apartments are the "holy" and the 
"most holy" places. Crozier again assumed that 
services are rendered at different times in these 
two heavenly apartments, even as there were in 
the earthly tabernacle. It is assumed that Christ 
ministered in the first apartment, or "holy" 
place, in heaven from 33 A.D. until October 22, 
1844, when he vacated the "holy" place and took 
up his work in the "most holy." He is there 
now, has been there for the last seventy-five 
years, and will continue to minister in the "most 
holy" place until the end of the world. He is 
performing a work of judgment, trying the cases 
of the living and the dead. 

Moses' Tabernacle. 
Measurements. — Forty-five feet long, fifteen 
feet wide, and fifteen feet high. 



26 Adventism and the Bible. 

Coverings. — First, fine linen (Ex. 25: 33) ; sec- 
ond, goat's hair (Ex. 25: 4, 5) ; third, red ram's 
skins and seal skins. (Smith's Bible Dictionary.) 

First Apartment. — The "holy" place, fifteen by 
thirty by fifteen. This apartment contained (1) 
the table of showbread (Ex. 25: 23-30), (2) the 
golden candlestick (Ex. 25: 31-33), and (3) the 
altar of incense (Ex. 30: 1-10). 

Second Apartment. — The "most holy" place, a 
cube of fifteen feet in measurement. This apart- 
ment contained (1) the "ark of the covenant," 
with a lid of gold called the "mercy seat" (Ex. 
25: 10-17) ; (2) the two "tables of the covenant," 
the contract between God and Israel (the Ten 
Commandments) ; (3) a pot of manna; (4) 
Aaron's rod that budded; and (5) a copy of "the 
law" in its entirety (Heb. 9:4; Deut. 31: 24, 25). 
These articles were all in the ark of the covenant. 

Curtains. — There were three curtains con- 
nected with the tabernacle. These were termed 
"veils." The first constituted the door of the 
outer court, the second constituted the door of 
the "holy" place, and the third was the middle 
wall between the "holy" and the "most holy" 
places. (See McClintock and Strong's Encyclo- 
pedia of Religious Knowledge, Article "Veil.") 

The Daily Services. — These were performed by 
the ordinary priest in the "holy" place, and con- 
sisted of diverse sacrifices of animals and food 
materials. The sinner confessed his sins over the 
head of the animal, the priest slew the animal, 
and the priest took a portion of the blood into 



Adventism and the Bible. 27 

the tabernacle and sprinkled some of it on the 
"altar of incense," which stood immediately be- 
fore "the veil" separating the two apartments, 
and poured the rest of the blood out at the base 
of the altar of burnt offerings in the court in 
front of the tabernacle. By this daily service the 
sins of Israel were transferred from the sinner 
to the victim, and from the victim, by the medi- 
ation of the priest, to the sanctuary. 

The Day of Atonement. — This was the last day 
of the year, the tenth day of the seventh month. 
On this day the first apartment was closed, and 
the high priest alone ministered in the "most 
holy" place. The high priest confessed the sins 
of all Israel over the head of a goat, slew the 
goat, and sprinkled of its blood on the ark of the 
contract between God and Israel, and some on the 
altar of incense before the veil. The high priest 
then took another goat, confessed his own sins 
and the sins of all Israel over the goat's head, and 
gave this last goat to a responsible man, who 
led the victim into the wilderness and turned it 
loose. 

This was cleansing the sanctuary. 

Three Steps. 
William Miller. — The Jews spent seventy years 
in the Babylonian captivity— 608-538 B.C. Dur- 
ing this time the sanctuary was not in existence. 
For seven years, therefore, it had not been 
"cleansed." Daniel prophesied that "unto 
twenty-three hundred days" the sanctuary would 



28 Adventism and the Bible. 

again be cleansed. (Dan. 8: 14.) Miller warped 
this entirely out of its setting (which was noth- 
ing more than a prophecy of consolation for the 
exiled Jews in Babylon), and used it as a basis 
for his belief that, according to 2 Pet. 3 : 10, the 
world was to be burned with fire, and that in the 
year 1844. 

S. S. Snow. — Snow had the same idea. 

Edson and Crozier. — These men adopted Mill- 
er's original application of the length of the pe- 
riod, but denied the burning of the world at the 
end of the time. It is interesting to know that 
both Edson and Crozier repudiated the entire 
sanctuary theory which they developed and gave 
to Adventism almost immediately. 

Inconsistencies. 

In accepting the Edson-Crozier theory of the 
sanctuary, Adventists had of necessity to accept 
the many inconsistencies that came along with 
it. This is the price one has to pay for his devo- 
tion to error. A few of the inconsistencies : 

1. In Rev. 3: 21 we read that when Christ as- 
cended he sat down on the throne with his Fa- 
ther. In the Mosaic tabernacle Jehovah's seat 
(throne) was over the mercy seat in the "most 
holy" place. (Ex. 25: 21-31.) Following the 
analogy, therefore, the Father's seat, in the heav- 
enly sanctuary, must be in the "most holy" place. 
Therefore, when our Lord ascended, he must 
have begun his work in the "most holy" place. 
But the Edson-Crozier theory places him in the 



Adventism and the Bible. 29 

"holy" place, or first apartment, until October 
22, 1844, when he left the "holy" place and began 
his work in the "most holy" place. In order that 
this may be so, the Father's throne must have 
been in the "holy" place, or first apartment, in 
the heavenly sanctuary, when our Lord ascended, 
and must have remained in the first apartment 
until 1844, when it moved back into the "most 
holy" place. And, strange as it may seem to the 
casual reader, this theory is precisely what Ad- 
ventism teaches. Hear this : 

"He began his ministry in the holy place, and at the 
termination of the prophetic days in 1844, as foretold by 
Daniel the prophet, he entered the most holy place to 
perform the last division of his solemn work — to cleanse 
the sanctuary." ("Great Controversy," Old Edition, 
page 266.) 

"When Christ commenced his ministry above, on the 
throne of the Father, that throne was in the first apart- 
ment of the heavenly sanctuary." {"Looking Unto Je- 
sus," page IS If.) 

2. But our Lord went into the "most holy" 
place in heaven when he ascended. (Rev. 3: 21 
Heb. 1:2; Col. 3:1; Acts 2: 34; Heb. 1: 13 
Heb. 8:1; Heb. 10 : 12 ; Heb. 12 : 2 ; Eph. 1 : 20 
Acts 7: 55, 58; Heb. 9: 24.) 

3. From Lev. 16 : 17 we read that there was 
no man in the tabernacle of the congregation on 
the day of atonement ; and from Rev. 15 : 8 we 
learn that when the work of judgment is being 
performed in this dispensation the temple will be 
filled with smoke, so that no one will be permitted 
to enter while the work of judgment is proceed- 



30 Adventism and the Bible. 

ing. This means that probation will have closed. 
Putting these passages together, it is easy to see 
that if Christ is now performing the last work 
of judgment, then the tabernacle in heaven is 
closed and mercy also has been withdrawn. In 
the next short chapter we shall learn of the sur- 
prise that awaited the Advent movement on this 
point. 

The Veil. 
"Within the Veil." — Paul, in Heb. 6: 20, tells 
us that when Christ ascended he went "into that 
which is within the veil." We propose to show 
that "within the veil" means within the "most 
holy" place. 

1. "The veil shall separate unto you between 
the holy place and the most holy." (Ex. 26 : 33.) 

2. "Within the veil the ark of the testimony." 
(Ex. 26: 33.) 

3. "Within the veil, before the mercy seat." 
(Lev. 16: 2.) 

4. "Within the veil, . . . the mercy seat." 
(Lev. 16: 12, 13.) 

There is not a single passage in all the word of 
God that uses "within the veil" so that it could 
possibly mean anything other than in the "most 
holy" place. 

"Without the Veil"— If "within the veil," then, 
means at all times and under all circumstances 
within the "most holy" place, beyond doubt 
"without the veil" means out in the "holy" place. 

1. "Set the table without the veil." (Ex. 26: 
35.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 31 

2. "In the tabernacle of the congregation 
without the veil." (Ex. 27: 20, 21.) 

3. "The table, . . . without the veil." (Ex. 
40: 22.) 

"Before the Veil" 

1. "The . . . altar . . . before the veil." 
(Ex. 40: 26.) 

2. "Sprinkle of the blood seven times before 
the Lord, . . . even before the veil." (Lev. 
4: 6, 17.) This service took place daily in the 
first apartment. 

"The Hanging." 

1. "Thou shalt make a hanging for the door." 
(Ex. 26: 36.) 

2. "And he set up the hanging at the door of 
the tabernacle." (Ex. 40: 28.) 

3. In Ex. 26: 31, 36 the "hanging," which is 
pointed out as the door of the tabernacle, is care- 
fully distinguished from "the veil," similarly 
pointed out as the wall between the two apart- 
ments. 

4. In Ex. 40: 21, 28 the "veil" is once more, 
and in the same way, carefully distinguished 
from the "hanging." 

That which God has separated man should not 
seek to join together. 

In the face of these very plain and unanswer- 
able teachings of the word of God, no less an au- 
thority than Mrs. Ellen G. White, the lifelong 



32 Adventism and the Bible. 

prophetess of Adventism, allows herself to go on 
record with the following assertion: 

"The ministration of the priest throughout the year in 
the first apartment of the sanctuary, 'within the veil,' 
which formed the door and separated the holy from the 
outer court, represented the work of ministration upon 
which Christ entered at his ascension." ("Great Contro- 
versy," page 420.) 

Query: How could "within the veil" form the 
door to anything? Mrs. White's inspired pen (?) 
wrote this statement. 



CHAPTER V. 



The Shut Door. 



In the Advent movement thus far we have met 
with three steps that were taken on three differ- 
ent occasions, each by a different leader, and each 
involving different consequences. These three 
steps were: (1) Miller set March 21, 1844, as 
the end of the twenty-three hundred days of Dan. 
8: 14 and the time when Christ should come; (2) 
S. S. Snow, about July of that year, announced 
the "seventh-month movement" and set October 
22 as the day when the Lord would come; and 
(3) Edson and Crozier, immediately after Octo- 
ber 22, began to formulate the theories regard- 
ing the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. 

But Adventists expected the Lord to come at 
any moment. William Miller: 

"The time, as I have calculated it, is now filled up; and 
I expect every moment to see the Savior descend from 
heaven." {"Life of Miller" page 279.) 

They believed that the world had reached the 
antitypical day of atonement of this dispensa- 
tion and that intercession had ceased. 

In Lev. 16 : 17 they read that there was no man 
in the tabernacle of the congregation on the day 
of atonement in the typical system; and from 

Rev. 15 : 8 they learned that when the seven last 
3 



34 Adventism and the Bible. 

plagues are poured out the temple will be filled 
with smoke, and that none will be permitted to 
enter until the plagues are over. They had 
reached this stage in the world's history, their 
theories told them, and they believed the door of 
mercy had been closed. 

Putting these passages together, it was easy to 
arrive at the conclusion that the world had 
reached the day when the sanctuary in heaven 
was shut; that the high priest was ministering 
in the most holy ; that no one was allowed to en- 
ter; hence, that there was no intercession possi- 
ble. From this it followed that sinners had no 
possible room for repentance, as there was no one 
to hear their cries. The day of mercy had 
passed. 

Mrs. E. G. White, in the Old Edition of the 
"Great Controversy," page 268, brings out the 
following points: 

1. "The work of Christ as man's intercessor 
before God had ceased." 

2. "They felt that their work for the world 
was done." 

3. "They lost their burden of soul for the sal- 
vation of sinners." 

4. They believed that "the Spirit of God had 
been drawn from the rejectors of his mercy." 

5. They believed that "the door of mercy was 
shut." 

They compared their experience at that time 
with the ten virgins in Matt. 25. Some had gone 
in with the bridegroom and some were left out to 



Adventism and the Bible. 35 

knock for admittance against a door that had 
been shut. 

J. N. Loughborough, the Advent historian, has 
this: 

"As the door of utterance appeared to be completely 
closed, and the Advent people saw that there was a shut 
door in the parable applying to their experience, it can 
be readily seen how they arrived at the conclusion that 
there was no more mercy for sinners, or, as they ex- 
pressed it, that 'the door of mercy was closed.' " ("Great 
Second Advent Movement," page 220.) 

David Arnold, an Advent writer of 1844, 
penned this: 

"The professed conversions through the instrumental- 
ity of the different sects are also urged as positive proof 
that the door is not shut. . . . 'They have dealt 
treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten 
strange children.' " (Present Truth, 184-9.) 

This is from a paper that was published by the 
Adventists. Elder James White, husband of 
Mrs. Ellen G. White, was editor of The Present 
Truth, and in an issue of the same year we have 
this from his pen: 

"Many may point to one who is said to be converted 
for .positive proof that the door is not shut, thus yielding 
the word of God for the feelings of the individual." 

Mrs. White, in The Present Truth for March, 
1850, has this : 

"The excitement and false reformations of these days 
do not move us, for we know that the Master of the house 
rose up in 1844 and shut the door of the first apartment 
of the heavenly sanctuary, and now we certainly expect 
that they will 'go with their flocks' to seek the Lord, but 



36 Adventism and the Bible. 

they shall not find him. He hath withdrawn himself 
(within the second veil) from them. The Lord has 
shown me that the power that is with them is a mere hu- 
man influence, and not the power of God." 

In the August issue of the same paper she has 
this: 

"Some appeared to have been really converted, so as 
to deceive God's people; but if their hearts could be 
seen, they would appear as black as ever. My accom- 
panying angel bade me look for the travail of soul for 
sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it, for 
the time for their salvation is passed." 

Hear Mrs. White again: 

"As has been stated, Adventists were for a short time 
united in the belief that the door of mercy was shut. 
This position was soon abandoned." ("Great Contro- 
versy," Old Edition, page 271.) 

The Revised Edition of the "Great Contro- 
versy" states the matter thus: 

"After the passing of the time when the Savior was 
expected, they still believed his coming to be very near. 
They held that they had reached an important crisis, and 
that the work of Christ as man's intercessor before God 
HAD CEASED." (Page 1,29.) 

"They arrived at the conclusion that there was no 
more mercy for sinners, or, as they expressed it, that the 
door of mercy was closed." ("Great Second Advent 
Movement,'" page 220.) 

This is the history of the shut door. Such a 
theory was taught for a few years after the pass- 
ing of Snow's date — October 22, 1844. Mrs. 
White and her husband were among those who 
believed and taught that the door of mercy had 
been closed. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Mrs. White and Her Visions. 



Among the converts of William Miller there 
was a thirteen-year-old child, Ellen Harmon. 
She lived with her parents at Gorham, Me., and 
with them heard Miller deliver his series of lec- 
tures on the second coming of Christ at Portland, 
Me., in 1840. 

At the age of nine Ellen had been struck in the 
face with a brick by a girl much larger than her- 
self. Her nose was crushed, and for years her 
health "seemed hopelessly impaired." ("Testi- 
monies," Volume I., page 10.) 

"Not long after the passing of the time in 
1844" she had her first "vision." {"Testimo- 
nies" Volume I., page 58.) By "passing of the 
time" she meant Miller's date, March 21. {"Tes- 
timonies" Volume I., page 1+8, footnote.) 

We have already stated that human beings 
migrate in "schools." The nineteenth century 
opened with a pronounced belief in visions, and 
the regular "school" of prophets appeared. The 
preaching of Wesley and his coworkers in En- 
gland and America, of Whitefield in America, and 
the attendant strange manifestations, gave birth 
to this sort of phenomena. Mesmer came on to 
the stage of action with his hypnotism; spirit- 
ualism appeared, with its rappings and table 



38 Adventism and the Bible. 

walking; Joseph Smith came out with his golden 
tables of Nephi which had been given him by an 
angel; and all this made it easy for a prophet to 
arise in the ranks of Adventism. 

Miss Harmon was seventeen years of age when 
her first "vision" came upon her. I wish to be 
understood at the outset regarding my attitude 
toward Mrs. White and her work. It may be that 
the fatal stroke she received in the face at the 
age of nine had very much to do in the determina- 
tion of her psychic exercises. I favor the idea. 
But the general belief in visions in 1830 and 1840 
is the greater excuse for her prophetic claims. 
That she believed at the beginning that God was 
really manifesting himself to her in this way, I 
doubt not; but that she continued to believe this 
up until her death — July 16, 1915 — I doubt very 
much; and the reason for my doubts will appear 
as we proceed. 

Miss Harmon married Elder James White, 
a Millerite leader, in 1846. She spoke "free- 
ly" on all occasions and on all subjects. ("Tes- 
timonies" Volume L, page 562.) Her first 
appointment as lecturer was at Orrington, 
Me., where she met Elder White; but strange 
stories had begun to circulate regarding her 
conduct, and her mother requested that she 
come home. ("Testimonies/' Volume I., page 
65.) Her testimonies were not convincing. 
Many charged that she was beset with "fanati- 
cism." ("Testimonies," Volume I., page 71.) 

From August 26, 1847, to September 20, 1860, 



Adventism and the Bible. 39 

Mrs. White gave birth to four sons — Henry, 
James, Willie, and Herbert. 

The Cause of Her Visions. 

"I fainted, . . . and was soon lost to 
earthly things/' ("Testimonies," Volume L, 
page 86.) 

"I fainted, . . . and was taken off in vi- 
sion/' (Id., page 88.) 

" I fainted, . . . and was taken off in vi- 
sion." (Id., page 89.) 

"I fainted at midnight, . . . and was 
taken off in vision." (Id., page 185.) 

She fainted and then had a vision! Recently 
an Adventist preacher reminded me that Daniel, 
the prophet, had the very same experience. In 
Dan. 9 : 8-17 it is stated that Daniel had a vision 
and then fainted. The two cases are just alike, 
except for the fact that they are exactly reversed. 

Mrs. White fainted — had a vision. 

Daniel had a vision — and then fainted. 

When Mrs. White was at home with her hus- 
band and her babies, she had no visions ; but just 
as soon as she launched a lecture tour or some 
burden came upon her, she fainted and had a vi- 
sion. 

Joseph Bates and the Sabbath. 

Up to 1846 Adventists were all Sunday keep- 
ers, including Mrs. White and her husband. In 
1846 Captain Joseph Bates, an old sea veteran, 
upon visiting with Seventh-Day Baptist relatives 



40 Adventism and the Bible. 

in New Hampshire, learned of the seventh-day 
Sabbath. Bates was converted immediately, and 
returned to his Advent friends with a new truth. 
He communicated his new find to Mrs. White and 
her husband, but they were obstinate until Mrs. 
White was taken off in vision and saw that Sat- 
urday really is the Sabbath. She and her hus- 
band began at once to keep Saturday. But Bates 
did not believe in Mrs. White's purported "vi- 
sions." This was remedied, however. He be- 
lieved in astronomy and knew a lot of it. Mrs. 
White went off in vision and had much to say 
about Jupiter and Saturn and the heavenly 
things. Bates wanted to know where she had 
studied astronomy. She confessed that she had 
never so much as looked into a book on the sub- 
ject. That converted him. At this moment the 
Seventh-Day Adventist Church was born — at 
New Bedford, Mass., 1846. There were but 
three members — James White, Joseph Bates, and 
Mrs. White; but the greatest of these was Mrs. 
White. 

Looking around, these three found twenty-five 
Adventists in the State of Maine who were fa- 
vorably disposed toward the Sabbath. With 
these, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church num- 
bered twenty-eight members in the year 1846. 

There were, of course, many hundreds of Ad- 
ventists in the Eastern States; but the vast ma- 
jority of these refused to accept the Sabbath. 
This led to a split in the ranks of Adventism, 



Adventism and the Bible. 41 

and to the birth, also, of the First-Day Adventist 
Church. 

In 1849 James White began to publish a small 
monthly paper, entitled Present Truth. At this 
time there were several hundred Sabbath keep- 
ers. Seventh-Day Adventist preachers went ev- 
erywhere, and particularly had they begun to 
migrate Westward. A meeting was held in Bat- 
tle Creek, Mich., and a church was built. Ad- 
ventism flourished in Michigan, and Battle Creek 
was chosen as headquarters of the denomination. 
The Sabbath movement had taken on life, and a 
number of able men had joined themselves to the 
movement. 

The Whites Go West. 

In 1855 Mrs. White and her husband moved to 
Battle Creek. They were too well known among 
Sabbath keepers of the East. Their sermons and 
visions were commonplace. The lure of the West 
was fascinating. There they would find new con- 
verts who were eager to listen to them. But 
there were men in the West, even among Seventh- 
Day Adventists, who had the spirit of the West. 
The Whites had been to Battle Creek only a short 
while when these brethren began to question the 
genuineness of her testimonies and visions. 

"These brethren took the position," wrote Mrs. 
White, "we believe the visions ; but Sister White, 
in writing them, put in her own words, and we 
will believe that portion which we think is of 
God and will not heed the other." ("Testimo- 



42 Adventism and the Bible. 

nies," Volume I., page 28 %.) Another "took the 
position that persons had prejudiced my mind. 
He said he believed . . . that I was influ- 
enced by others in writing them." ("Testimo- 
nies," Volume L, page 235.) Mrs. White, of 
course, pleaded not guilty. She meant "puts" in, 
etc. 

The Water-Cure Institute. 
The water-cure craze was spreading over the 
country. Mrs. White urged Adventists to estab- 
lish such an institute at Battle Creek. "Our peo- 
ple should have an institute of their own, under 
their own control." ("Testimonies" Volume I., 
page 4-92.) She pointed to their financial ability 
and assured them that the scheme would meet 
with success. So it was undertaken. But the 
wires got crossed, and the work came to a sud- 
den halt. The brethren began firing at Mrs. 
White. Forced to do something, she confessed. 
And here is the confession : 

"The brethren at Battle Creek wrote to me that the 
influence of my testimony was needed to move the breth- 
ren upon the subject. Under these circumstances I 
yielded my judgment to that of others. . : . In this 
I did wrong." ("Testimonies," Volume L, page 563.) 

Further Trouble at Battle Creek. 
When Mrs. White and her husband returned 
from their lecturing tour, they were received at 
Battle Creek in a most humiliating fashion. 
"My husband was terribly disappointed at the 
cold reception we received at Battle Creek, and 



Adventism and the Bible. 43 

I also was grieved." {"Testimonies," Volume I., 
page 579.) 

Elder White was seriously ill. He addressed a 
note to the officers of the church, stating that 
they might give him financial assistance if the 
church "would deem it a pleasure." But the 
officers charged that he had gone "insane on the 
subject of money," and paid no attention to his 
calls. (Id., page 582.) 

Conditions at Battle Creek had grown to that 
psychological point where something had to be 
done; and, whatever was done, Mrs. White and 
her husband must come out on top — else, good-by, 
Mrs. White, and your visions ! This could not 
happen, of course. The following is what took 
place : 

1. Elder White called a meeting of all the mem- 
bers of the church just as soon as he was phys- 
ically able to do so. "At this meeting my hus- 
band humbly confessed that he ivas wrong in sev- 
eral things of this nature, which he never should 
have done." ("Testimonies," Volume I., page 
583.) 

2. This thing of confessing faults is very con- 
tagious — and very salutary. Right or wrong, it 
does one good to confess occasionally that he 
isn't much. Elder White's humble confession 
touched the hearts of all present, and a general 
outburst of confession followed. The entire 
membership was prostrate, so to speak, and each 
felt that he was the worst creature that God had 
ever created. 



44 Adventism and the Bible. 

3. Mrs. White was not asleep, and neither was 
she off in vision. She was "on the job." She 
arose and bore a pointed, stinging testimony, and 
shamed the church for its littleness. 

4. The church appointed a committee to write 
up a confession to Mrs. White and her husband. 
The committee's report read after this fashion : 

"We now accept with deep sorrow of heart the reproof 
given us in this testimony, and we ask that wherein we 
have erred from the right, through our lack of spiritual 
discernment, we may find forgiveness of God and his peo- 
ple." ("Testimonies," Volume I., page 611.) 

The committee went a step further and bore 
the following testimony as to Elder White's part 
in the family quarrel : 

"We believe also that God has called Brother White to 
bear a plain testimony in reproving wrongs thus made 
manifest, and that in this he should have the support of 
those who truly fear God." (Page 610.) 

Replying to this confession as to her husband's 
standing with the Lord and his ability to reprove 
wrongs, Mrs. White wrote thus : 

"From time to time for the last twenty years I have 
been shown that the Lord had qualified my husband for 
the work of faithfully dealing with the erring, and had 
laid the burden upon him. ... On many occasions 
where persons have risen up against his reproofs I have 
been shown that he was right in his judgment of matters 
and in his manner of reproving." (Page 612.) 

This was a great victory for the Whites. She 
insisted that the brethren were to blame for criti- 
cizing her husband, and that he was right. The 
confessions came. All was well. The whole 



Adventism and the Bible. 45 

church, so to speak, kissed and made up. Then, 
after it was all settled, for some reason not ex- 
actly clear to the average reader, Mrs. White 
comes out with another statement concerning the 
inherent tendency and nature of Mr. White. It is 
this : 

"I was shown that his great wrong in the past has been 
an unforgiving spirit toward those brethren who have in- 
jured his influence in the cause of God. He was not as 
pitiful and compassionate as our Heavenly Father has 
been toward his erring, sinning, repenting children. 
When those who have caused him the greatest suffering 
acknowledged their wrongs heartily and fully, he could 
and did forgive them and fellowship them as brethren; 
but although the wrong was healed in the sight of God, 
yet he sometimes in his own mind probed that wound, 
and, by referring to the past, he suffered it to fester and 
make him unhappy." {Pages 613, 614.) 

And yet he was specially fitted to deal with 
erring brethren ! 

Such, then, is Mrs. Ellen G. White as she ap- 
pears in the first volume of her "Testimonies." 

This is not the end of the trouble at Battle 
Creek, but only the end of the first episode. 
One's heart grows sick in reading of these church 
quarrels in the first six volumes of Mrs. White's 
"Testimonies for the Church." But the Whites, 
always and without an exception, manage to 
come out victors, and the church is left sitting 
humbly at their feet. Mrs. White's unrelenting 
hold on the wills of her intimidated followers dif- 
fers in no particular from the papal dominance 
over the consciences of men during the Middle 
Ages. 



CHAPTER VII. 



The Testimonies of Mrs. White. 



Mrs. White's confession that she did wrong in 
listening to the suggestions of brethren concern- 
ing the water-cure institute, and of writing tes- 
timonies because of their suggestions, made room 
for a whole school of critics of her work, and the 
school was not slow in making its appearance. 
That was back in 1867. Fifteen years later 
(1882) opposition to her pretensions had grown 
to such proportions that she determined again to 
extricate herself from the tangled mass of crit- 
icism. But every move she made wound the cords 
of opposition more everlastingly about her. 

She appealed to Paul. Paul listened to sugges- 
tion, and he was an inspired writer; so why not 
Mrs. White do the same? Very true, the critics 
admitted; but Mrs. White was reminded that it 
was Paul, and not his critics, who informed his 
readers that he had been told certain things "by 
the household of Chloe." (1 Cor. 1 : 11.) Forni- 
cation, Paul stated, had been "reported" to him. 
(1 Cor. 5: 1.) At another time he gave his 
"judgment ;" he also said "I suppose" relative to a 
certain problem. (1 Cor. 7: 25, 26.) But in vain 
will one seek in the writings of Mrs. White for 
anything that had been "declared" unto her or 
"reported" to her, and neither will he find that 



Adventism and the Bible. 47 

she ever supposes or gives her "judgment." No; 
Mrs. White has forever been shown directly from 
heaven — even with regard to the water-cure in- 
stitute until it became necessary to confess the 
source of her information. 

She wrote: "Let the testimonies be judged by 
their fruits. What is the spirit of their teaching? 
What has been the result of their influence?" 
("Testimonies," Volume V., page 65 h.) 

We accept the challenge and undertake to pro- 
duce the proof. 

The Nature of the Testimonies. 

1. They do not com.mand belief. — "I have been 
shown that unbelief in the testimonies has been 
steadily increasing." (Volume V ., page 76.) 

2. They are limited in usefulness. — "The tes- 
timonies have no weight with those who know 
nothing of their spirit." (Volume V ., page 669.) 

3. They do not give additional light. — "Brother 
R. would confuse the mind by seeking to make it 
appear that the light God has given through the 
testimonies is an additional light to the word of 
God ; but in this he presents the matter in a false 
light." (Volume IV., page 2U6.) 

4. They have no legitimate place. — "The word 
of the Lord is sufficient to enlighten the most be- 
clouded mind, and may be understood by those 
who have any desire to understand it." (Volmut 
V., page 663.) 

5. They bear the stamp of human production. 
— "They have been those who claim that the tes- 



48 Adventism and the Bible. 

timonies purporting to be given by the Spirit of 
God were merely the expressions of my own judg- 
ment, based upon information gathered from hu- 
man sources." (Volume V., page 683.) 

6. They presume to supplement the Bible. — "I 
took the precious Bible and surrounded it with 
the several testimonies to the church. Here, said 
I, the cases of nearly all are met. The sins they 
are to shun are pointed but. The counsel they 
desire can be found here." (Volume V., page 
661>.) 

7. They creed-bind the Bible. — 'The word of 
God is walled in with these books and pamphlets." 
(Volume V., page 666.) 

8. They creed-bind the believer. — "The Lord 
has walled you about with light, but you have 
not appreciated the light; you have trampled 
upon it." (Volume V., page 666.) 

9. They are silly. — "If you lose confidence in 
the testimonies, you will drift away from Bible 
truth." (Volume V., page 98.) 

10. They are a nuisance. — "They think the tes- 
timony of the Spirit of God is reproof uncalled 
for, or that it does not mean them." (Volume 
V. f page 67 J>.) 

11. They contradict the Bible. — "In ancient 
times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets 
r.nd apostles. In these days he speaks to them by 
the testimonies of the Spirit." (Volume IV., 
rage 11*8.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 49 

The Spirit of the Testimonies. 

1. They chill their readers. — "Many of our peo- 
ple are lukewarm. They occupy the position of 
Meroz — neither for nor against, neither cold nor 
hot." {Volume V., page 76.) 

2. They are sarcastic and bitter. — "Some of 
the brethren have taken the responsibility of 
criticizing my work and proposing easier ways 
to correct wrongs. To these persons I would say : 
I take God's way, not yours. I repeat, I do not 
accept your efforts.'' {Volume V., page 677.) 

3. They are an incubator of the critical atti- 
tude. — "It has been urged that my manner of 
giving reproof in public has led others to be sharp 
and critical and severe. If so, they must settle 
that matter with the Lord." {Volume V., page 
677.) 

4. They neutralize Bible light. — "I have been 
shown that unbelief in the testimonies of warn- 
ing, encouragement, and reproof is shutting away 
the light from God's people." {Volume III., 
page 255.) 

5. They create war among members. — "The 
searching testimony of the Spirit of God will sep- 
arate those from Israel who have ever been at 
war with the means that God has ordained to 
keep corruption out of the church." {Volume 
III., page 323.) 

6. They make one individual a judge over all 
others. — "If I have erred anywhere, it is in re- 
buking sin more firmly." {Volume V ., page 677.) 

4 



50 Adventism and the Bible. 

The Fruits of the Testimonies. 

1. Hatred. — "Many have despised the faithful 
reproof given of God in testimony. I have been 
shown that some in these days have even gone so 
far as to burn the written words of rebuke and 
warning." {Volume V., page 678.) 

2. Apostasy.— "Unless you make a thorough 
change, you will, not far hence, become weary of 
reproof, as did the children of Israel; and, like 
them, you will apostatize from God/' {Volume 
IV., page 332.) 

3. Division. — "Differences of opinion are con- 
stantly arising, and apostasies are constantly af- 
flicting the church." {Volume V., page 668.) 

4. Doubt and infidelity. — "If these persons do 
not humble their hearts before God, if they har- 
bor the suggestion of Satan, doubt and infidelity 
will take possession of the soul, and they will see 
everything in a false light." {Volume V., page 
690.) 

5. Spiritual blindness. — "They will come to 
mistrust and disbelieve truths which are plain 
and full of beauty to others who have not edu- 
cated themselves in unbelief." {Volume V ., page 
590.) 

6. Stubbornness. — "These self-confident ones, 
determined to have their own way and to advo- 
cate their own ideas, will go on from bad to 
worse, until they will pursue any course rather 
than to surrender their own will." {Volume V., 
page 671.) 

7. Hypocrisy. — "Some preachers are far be- 



Adventism and the Bible. 51 

hind. They have had repeated testimonies which 
they have utterly disregarded." (Volume V '., 
page 669.) 

8. Combativeness. — "They talked flippantly 
of the testimonies, and passed judgment upon 
them, giving their opinion, and criticizing this 
and that." (Volume IV., page UUS.) 

9. Unbelief. — "Some express their views that 
the writings of Sister White cannot be reliable." 
(Volume V., page 673.) 

I have arranged this list of quotations with the 
hope that the list would speak for itself. Evi- 
dently here is food for thought. The spirit of 
Adventism is easily read in these quotations. 
The dominance of Mrs. White stands out prom- 
inently. The extreme prominence of the testimo- 
nies themselves is revealed. The testimonies are 
a supplement to the Bible; they creed-bind the 
believer, and they insist that Adventists must 
lose their own individualities in Mrs. White. W. 
C. White, one of her sons, in an address at the 
General Conference, held in Washington, D. C, 
1913, made the following statement, with which 
we close this chapter : 

"I have known of messages of warning being sent to 
these men [officials in the Adventist ranks]. I have seen 
them read reproofs to themselves regarding the popular 
and accepted policies for the conduct of the work, and I 
have known the struggle it cost them to act upon the 
counsel given. I have knelt with them in prayer, and 
have heard their humble pleadings for grace to give up 
their WILL and way and for strength and wisdom to fol- 
low the course marked out for them." {General Confer- 
ence Bulletin, June 2, 1913.) 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Why "Great Controversy" Was Revised. 



During a question-and-answer meeting at 
Keene, Texas, 1910, which was being conducted 
by A. G. Daniels, president of the General Con- 
ference of Seventh-Day Adventists, some one 
asked why "The Great Controversy" had been re- 
vised. Daniels stated that Mrs. White, in the old 
edition, made a number of statements which his- 
torians have been unable to verify, with only 
their human records; and, therefore, to keep 
down questions, she and her publishers thought 
best that those statements be removed from the 
book. I was at school in the college at Keene at 
that time, and was in the audience and heard this 
statement. Naturally, I was curious to know in 
what particulars Mrs. White had (to use a com- 
mon expression) "put one over" on the histo- 
rians ; and at. my leisure following the conference 
I made a number of comparisons of the text of 
the new edition with that of the old, and I record 
a few of my findings as follows : 

I. 

"After the Romans had surrounded the city, they un- 
expectedly withdrew their forces, at a time when every- 
thing seemed favorable for an immediate attack." (Old 
Edition, page 32.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 53 

"After the Romans under Cestius had surrounded the 
city, they unexpectedly abandoned the siege, when every- 
thing seemed favorable for an immediate attack." (Re- 
vised, page 30.) 

Note the effect of the addition of "under Ces- 
tius." Note the difference between "withdrew'' 
and "abandoned." "Cestius," the Roman general, 
is not to be found in the old edition. Compare 
the following quotations with the ones just given: 

II. 

"Terrible were the calamities which fell upon Jerusa- 
lem in the siege of the city by Titus." (Old Edition, page 
32.) 

"Terrible were the calamities that fell upon Jerusalem 
when, the siege was resumed by Titus." (Revised, page 
31.) 

In the revised edition it is clear that Cestius 
opened the attack on Jerusalem and then aban- 
doned the siege. This makes it possible for an- 
other general (Titus) to open another siege, 
which is entirely different from the one under- 
taken by Cestius. In the old edition Titus con- 
ducted all the sieges, did all the withdrawing, 
abandoning, and all the re-sieging of the city. 
After the- old edition was published, it is clear 
that Mrs. White read some other author on the 
fall of Jerusalem besides Josephus, and that that 
other author told her about Cestius and his work. 
This was news, and she put Cestius into the sieg- 
ing also. 



54 Adventism and the Bible. 

III. 

"A few years after the issue of Constantine's decree, 
the bishop of Rome conferred on Sunday the title of 
Lord's day." (Old Edition, page 55.) 

Omitted in the revised edition. 

This is an ideal piece of forgery. Mrs. White 
was misled, however, by J. N. Andrews, the Sab- 
bath historian, in making this statement. 

IV. 

"Here the youth received instruction. The Bible was 
their textbook. They studied and committed to memory 
the words of Holy Writ." (Old Edition, page 73.) 

"From their pastors the youth received instruction. 
While attention was given to branches of general learn- 
ing, the Bible was made the chief study." (Revised, 
page 68.) 

This was written of the Waldenses. When 
Mrs. White wrote the statement in the old edi- 
tion, Adventists had no schools; but at the time 
of the revision of the "Great Controversy," Ad- 
ventists had begun to formulate something like a 
literary system, and, consequently, their educa- 
tors had read something of the Waldenses them- 
selves. Through some turn or other Mrs. White 
learned that her former statement about the Bi- 
ble being their textbook was not at all true. So 
she graciously made the change. That's all. 

V. 

"For three days the butchery went on; more than 
thirty thousand perished." (Old Edition, page 191.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 55 

"For seven days the massacre was continued in Paris. 
. . . Seventy thousand of the , very flower of the na- 
tion perished." {Revised, page 272.) 

Imagine Daniel revising Dan. 9 : 24 so as to 
make it read "thirty weeks are determined upon 
thy people" instead of "seventy weeks," as it now 
stands ; and imagine John on Patmos revising the 
thirteenth chapter of the Apocalypse so as to 
make it read "three heads and ten horns" instead 
of "seven heads and ten horns," as it now stands. 
If you can imagine such a thing, then you can un- 
derstand the foregoing quotations without confu- 
sion. 

VI. 

"When the churches rejected the counsel of God by re- 
jecting the Advent message, the Lord rejected them." 
{Old Edition, page 232.) 

"God looks down upon these apostate bodies and de- 
clares them daughters of a harlot." {Old Edition, page 
324.) 

Both quotations omitted in the revised edition. 

VII. 
Chapter X., old edition. A three-page speech 
by Satan is omitted entirely in the revised edi- 
tion. 

VIII. 

"Though originally a heathen statute, it was enforced 
by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of the Chris- 
tian religion." {Old Edition, page 391.) 

"Though virtually a heathen statute, it was enforced 
by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of Christian- 
ity." {Revised, page 574.) 

She here speaks of Constantine's statute, mak- 



56 Adventism and the Bible. 

ing the first day of the week, which was being 
observed in honor of Christ by his followers, a 
legal holiday throughout the empire. In the old 
edition she declared that this statute was "orig- 
inally" a heathen statute ; in the new it is "virtu- 
ally" a heathen statute. A wonderful difference ! 

IX. 

"In the last conflict the Sabbath will become the spe- 
cial point of controversy throughout all Christendom." 
(Old Edition, page -4-4-4.) 

"The Sabbath has become the special point of contro- 
versy throughout Christendom." {New Edition, page 
615.) 

She is here speaking of "The Time of Trou- 
ble," this being the heading of the chapters in the 
two books, respectively, from which these state- 
ments are taken. This "time of trouble" begins 
"when the third angel's message closes." {Old 
Edition, page US1; Revised, page 613.) 

For years Mrs. White and her followers had 
been preaching that in "the last conflict" the 
Sabbath would become the special point of con- 
troversy. Such a statement, of course, naturally 
tended to put the time of trouble off a few years 
in the future. But by inserting "has become" for 
"will become" in the quotation just given, this 
fault is remedied. But this got her into a greater 
predicament. The "last conflict" is not to open 
until "the third angel's message closes." This 
she states herself. But when "the third angel's 
message closes," then the door of mercy also 



Adventism and the Bible. 57 

closes. Since, therefore, the Sabbath "has be- 
come" the special point of controversy through- 
out Christendom, and since it was not to become 
the special point of controversy until "the time 
of trouble," and since the "time of trouble" was 
not to begin until the door of mercy closed, it fol- 
lows that the door of mercy has closed ! 

X. 

"In the lives of all those who reject truth there are mo- 
ments when conscience awakens, when memory presents 
the torturing recollection of a life of hypocrisy, and the 
soul is harassed with vain regrets." (Revised Edition, 
page 6H.) 

In the same edition we find the following: 

"Familiarity with sin will inevitably cause it to appear 
less repulsive." {Page 509.) 

Reader, allow yourself to stop and figure out 
how Mrs. White knew these solemn truths. She 
claimed to have lived a life free from hypocrisy 
from her childhood. When did she learn, there- 
fore, that "familiarity with sin" finally causes it 
to appear less repulsive? Likewise, when did she 
learn that there are moments in the lives of all of 
us "who reject truth" when "conscience awak- 
ens?" How did she know that "memory pre- 
sents the torturing recollection of a life of hypoc- 
risy?" How did she know that at such times 
"the soul is harassed with vain regrets?" 

No one can make a statement like either of 
these unless one of two things is so — (1) he must 



58 Adventism and the Bible. 

either copy it from some one else who learned by 
experience and told his experience, or (2) he 
must be speaking out of his own individual expe- 
rience. 

There is something in these two quotations that 
seems awfully human to me. There is not that 
clanging emptiness in them that is always in evi- 
dence in the words of those who have not felt 
what they are trying to say. These are not plat- 
itudes ; they are heartbeats. 



CHAPTER IX. 



The Source of Mrs. White's Inspiration. 



It is well known that Mrs. White's stock con- 
tention was that she received her messages 
straight from the Holy Spirit. 

In the "Preface" of the Ninth Edition of "The 
Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan," 
published in 1887, are these words from her pub- 
lishers : 

"We believe the writer has received the illumination of 
the Holy Spirit in preparing these pages." "From her 
childhood she was noted for her reverence and devotion 
and her love for the word of God." "We believe that no 
one who knows what it is to hold communion with the 
Heavenly Father will fail to realize that the writer of 
these pages has drawn from the heavenly fountain and 
received help from the sanctuary." 

In the revised edition of the same book we 
make the following quotation from her own 
"Preface:" 

"Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the 
scenes of the long conflict between good and evil have 
been opened to the writer of these pages. From time to 
time I have been permitted to behold the working, in dif- 
ferent ages, of the great controversy between Christ, the 
Prince of Life and Author of Salvation, and Satan, the 
prince of evil." 

We give these quotations to show that both she 



60 Adventism and the Bible. 

and the publishers of the book make positive 
statements to the effect that they believe that 
what she wrote in the book had been received di- 
rectly from heaven. Neither the publishers nor 
Mrs. White, however, ever challenged any one to 
investigate the wording of the volume with the 
thought in mind of determining just how much, 
if any, she had taken from published works of her 
time that deal with the subjects discussed in her 
books. 

It is our purpose in this chapter to show that 
Mrs. White was a very imposing plagiarist, and, 
being so, that she received her revelations from 
the authors whom she paraphrased. 

The following pages will suggest from what 
sources Mrs. White obtained the material she 
worked into the book, "The Great Controversy 
Between Christ and Satan." 

Mrs. White Copies D'Aubigne. 

D'Aubigne's "History of "The Great Controversy 

the Reformation," Between Christ and 

Book IV., Chap- Satan," Revised 

ter 2. Edition. 

The church had never Everywhere was such a 

witnessed such hungering hungering and thirsting 

and thirsting after right- after righteousness as had 

eousness since the primi- not been known for ages, 

tive ages. (Page 133.) 

The people's attachments The people were daily 

to the Romish superstitions losing confidence in the su- 
diminished day by day. perstitions of Romanism. 

{Page 133.) 

That great city, drunk That corrupt city, al- 

with the blood of the saints ready drunk with the blood 
and the martyrs of Jesus. of the martyrs of Jesus. 

(Page 133.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 



61 



Note how carefully she pares out the word 
"saints" from D'Aubigne's quotation. Advent- 
ists do not make use of the word "saints" in this 
manner. 



He will not go and con- 
ceal himself in the obscuri- 
ty of a convent; . . . 
he will remain faithful on 
that stormy scene where 
the hand of God had placed 
him. 



"I am like Jeremiah," 
said Luther at the time of 
which we are speaking — 
"a man of strife and con- 
tention," etc. 

Serra Longa had not 
long quitted the doctor 
when the safe conduct ar- 
rived. Luther's friends 
had obtained it from the 
imperial councilors. 



But he would not leave 
the position where God had 
placed him. He must con- 
tinue faithfully to minis- 
ter the truth, notwith- 
standing the storms that 
were beating upon him. 
{Page 134.) 

His language was: "I am 
like Jeremiah — a man of 
strife and contention," etc. 
(Page 134.) 



The reformer had failed 
to provide himself with a 
safe conduct. His friends 
urged him not to appear 
before the legate without 
one, and they themselves 
undertook to procure it 
from the emperor. {Page 
135.) 



Mrs. White Copies Wylie. 



Wylie's "History of the 
Waldenses." 
The bull invited all Cath- 
olics to take up the cross 
against the heretics. (Page 
28.) 



It was an old law among 
them that all who took or- 
ders in their church should, 
before being eligible to a 
home charge, serve three 
years in the mission field. 
(Page 15.) 



"The Great Contro- 
versy." 

The bull invited all Cath- 
olics to take up the cross 
against heretics. (Old Edi- 
tion, page 88; Revised, 
page 77.) 

It was a law among 
them that all who entered 
the ministry should, after 
taking charge of a church 
at home, serve three years 
in a mission field. (Old, 
page 76; Revised, page 76.) 



62 



Adventism and the Bible. 



They went forth two and 
two, concealing their real 
character under the guise 
of a secular profession — 
most commonly that of 
merchants or peddlers. 
(Page 16.) 



They took care to carry 
with them . . . portions 
of the word of God, . . . 
and to this they would 
draw the attention of the 
inmates. {Page 16.) 



". . . going forth two 
and two, . . . therefore 
they concealed their real 
character under the guise 
of some secular profes- 
sion — most commonly that 
of merchants or peddlers. 
{Old, page 76; Revised, 
page 76.) 

They carried about with 
them portions of the Holy 
Scriptures; . . . and 
whenever they could do so 
with safety, they called at- 
tention of the inmates 
. . . to these. (Old, page 
76.) 



Mrs. White Copies Conybeare & Howson. 



"Life and Epistles of 
Paul," by Conybeare 

& Howson. 
Though moved with grief 
and indignation when he 
saw the idolatry all around 
him, we are taught that 
the subjects to which our 
attention is to be turned are 
connected, not with Juda- 
ism, but with paganism. 
(Page 312.) 

It was a religion which 
ministered to art and 
amusement and was en- 
tirely destitute of moral 
power. It gave him [the 
possessor] no victory over 
himself. A religion which 
addresses itself only to the 
taste is as weak as one that 
appeals only to the intel- 
lect. And thus all his [the 
Athenian's] life long, in 
the midst of everything to 
gratify his taste and exer- 
cise his intellect, he re- 
mained in ignorance of 
God. (Page 8U.) 



" Redemption ; or, The 
Teaching of Paul," by 

Mrs. White. 
Grieved and indignant at 
the idolatry everywhere 
visible about him, etc., . . . 
the principal work of Paul 
in that city was to deal 
with paganism. (Page 5 If.) 



The religion of the 
Athenian, of which they 
made great boast, was of 
no value; for it was desti- 
tute of the knowledge of 
the true God. It consisted, 
in part, of art worship. 
Genuine religion 
gives men the victory over 
themselves, but a religion 
of dry intellect and taste is 
lacking in the essential 
qualities to raise the pos- 
sessor above the evils of his 
nature. . . . The great Ruler 
of the universe was un- 
known to them. (Page 5U>) 



Adventism and the Bible. 



63 



The ability which she brings into play in her 
paraphrasing is evidence that she was an expert 
at the job; and the fact that she was an expert 
at the job is evidence that she had long been at it. 
Note the turn she gives her author's statement 
that the religion of the Athenian "gave him no 
victory over himself." This she takes and makes 
it say: "Genuine religion gives men the victory 
over themselves." 



It was a large mercan- 
tile city, in immediate con- 
nection with Rome. . . . 
The gospel, once estab- 
lished in Corinth, would 
spread everywhere. 
Claudius drove the Jews 
from Rome because they 
were incessantly raising tu- 
mults. Among the Jews 
who had been banished 
from Rome by Claudius 
and had settled for a time 
at Corinth were two na- 
tives of Pontus, whose 
names were Aquila and 
P r i s c i 1 1 a. (Pages 386, 
387.) 



It was a large mercan- 
tile city, closely connected 
with Rome. Paul saw that 
if the gospel could be es- 
tablished there it would be 
rapidly communicated to 
all parts of the world. 
The Jews who had been 
recently banished from 
Rome because of their con- 
tinual insurrections had 
taken up their residence at 
Corinth. Among this class 
was Aquila and Priscilla. 
{Page 61.) 



Mrs. White Copies Josephus. 



"The Wars of the 
Jews," by Flavius 
Josephus. 
There was a star resem- 
bling a sword which stood 
over the city, and a comet 
that continued a whole 
year. (Book VI., Chapter 
V., Paragraph 3.) 



"The Great Controversy 
Between Christ and Sa- 
tan," Old Edition. 
A comet, resembling a 
flaming sword, for a year 
hung over the city. (Page 
31.) 



64 



Adventism and the Bible. 



A light shone round the 
altar and the holy house. 
(lb.) 

Before sunsetting, char- 
iots and troops of soldiers 
in their armor were seen 
running about in the 
clouds. (lb.) 

As the priests were go- 
ing by night into the inner 
temple, they heard a sound 
as of a multitude, saying: 
"Let us remove hence." 
(lb.) 

The eastern gate of the 
inner court, which was of 
brass and vastly heavy, 
and had been with difficulty 
shut by twenty men, and 
rested upon a basis armed 
with iron, and had bolts 
fastened very deep into the 
firm floor, which was there 
made of one entire stone, 
was seen to be opened of 
its own accord about the 
sixth hour of the night. 
(lb.) 

There was one Jesus, 
who, four years before the 
war began, began on a 
sudden to cry aloud: "A 
voice from the east, a voice 
from the west, a voice 
from the four winds, a 
voice against Jerusalem 
and the holy house, a 
voice against the bride- 
grooms and the brides, and 
a voice against the whole 
people." (lb.) 



An unnatural light was 
seen hovering over the 
temple. (lb.) 

Upon the clouds were 
pictured chariots muster- 
ing for battle. (lb.) 



Mysterious voices in the 
temple court uttered the 
warning words: "Let us 
depart hence." (lb.) 



The eastern gate of the 
inner court, which was of 
brass and so heavy that it 
was with difficulty shut by 
a score of men, and having 
bolts fastened deep into the 
firm pavement, was seen 
at midnight to be opened 
of its own accord. (lb.) 



For seven years a man 
continued to go up and 
down the streets of Jerusa- 
lem, declaring the woes 
that were to come upon the 
city. By day and by night 
he chanted the wild dirge: 
"A voice from the east, a 
voice from the west, a voice 
from the four winds, a 
voice from Jerusalem and 
the temple, a voice against 
the bridegroom and the 
bride, and a voice against 
all the people." (Page 82.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 



65 



This strange being was 
imprisoned and scourged, 
but no complaint escaped 
his lips. {Page 32.) 



Certain of the most emi- 
nent among the populace 
had great indignation at 
this dire cry of his, and 
gave him a number of se- 
vere stripes; yet did he not 
say anything for himself 
or anything peculiar to 
those that chastised him. 
(lb.) 

Mrs. White Copies J. N. Andrews. 



"History of the Sabbath 
and First Day of the 
Week," by J. N. 
Andrews. 
The opening of the sixth 
century witnessed the de- 
velopment of the great 
apostasy to such an extent 
that the man of sin might 
be plainly seen sitting in 
the temple of God. In the 
early part of this century 
the bishop of Rome was 
made head over the entire 
church. (Page 37.) 

The dragon gave unto 
the beast his power and his 
seat and great authority. 
From this accession to su- 
premacy by the Roman 
pontiff date the "times, 
times, and the dividing of 
times," or 1,260 years, of 
the prophecies of Daniel 
and John. {Page 371.) 

The true people of God 
now retired for safety into 
places of obscurity and se- 
clusion, as represented by 
the prophecy: "The woman 
fled into the wilderness, 
where she hath a place pre- 
pared of God, that they 
should feed her there a 
thousand two hundred and 
threescore days." (Page 
371.) 



"The Great Controversy 
Between Christ and Sa- 
tan," Old Edition, by 

Mrs. E. G. White. 
In the sixth century the 
papacy had become firmly 
established, its seat of 
power was fixed in the im- 
perial city, and the bishop 
of Rome was declared to be 
head over the entire church. 
(Page 57.) 



The dragon had given to 
the beast "his power and 
his seat and great author- 
ity;" and now began the 
1,260 years of papal op- 
pression foretold in the 
prophecies of Daniel and 
John. (Page 57.) 



For hundreds of years 
the church of Christ found 
refuge in seclusion and ob- 
scurity. Thus says the 
prophet: "The woman fled 
into the wilderness, where 
she hath a place prepared 
of God, that they should 
feed her there a thousand 
two hundred and three- 
score days." (Page 58.) 



66 



Adventism and the Bible. 



With the accession of the 
Roman bishop to suprem- 
acy began the Dark Ages; 
and as he increased in 
strength, the gloom of 
darkness settled with in- 
creasing intensity upon the 
world. {Page 400.) 



The accession of the Ro- 
man Church to power 
marked the beginning of 
the Dark Ages. As her 
power increased, the dark- 
ness deepened. (Page 58.) 



Mrs. White Copies Silvester Bliss. 



"Life of William Miller," 
by Silvester Bliss, 
Revised by James 
White. 
He laid aside all com- 
mentaries and used the 
marginal references and 
his concordance as his only 
helps. He resolved to lay 
aside all preconceived opin- 
ions. (Page 47.) 

I determined to pursue 
its study in a regular and 
methodical manner. I com- 
menced at Genesis and 
read verse by verse, pro- 
ceeding no faster than the 
meaning of the several pas- 
sages should be so unfolded 
as to leave me free from 
embarrassment. (lb.) 

Whenever I found any- 
thing obscure, it was my 
practice to compare it with 
all collateral passages; 
and, by the help of Cru- 
den, I examined all the 
texts of scripture in which 
were found any of the 
prominent words contained 
in the obscure portion. 
(Pages 47-49.) 



"The Great Controversy 
Between Christ and Sa- 
tan," by Mrs. White, 

Revised Edition. 
Endeavoring to lay aside 
all preconceived opinions 
and dispensing with com- 
mentaries, he compared 
scripture with scripture by 
the aid of the marginal ref- 
erences and the concord- 
ance. (Page 820.) 

He pursued his study in 
a regular and methodical 
manner. Beginning with 
Genesis and reading verse 
by verse, he proceeded no 
faster than the meaning of 
the several passages so un- 
folded as to leave him free 
from all embarrassment. 
(Page 320.) 

When he found anything 
obscure, it was his custom 
to compare it with every 
other text which seemed to 
have any reference to the 
matter under considera- 
tion. Every word was per- 
mitted to have its proper 
bearing upon the subject of 
the text; and if his view of 
it harmonized with every 
collateral passage, it ceased 
to be a difficulty. (Page 
320.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 67 

Repudiated. 
In the revised "Great Controversy" the pub- 
lishers have omitted the quotation made from 
their "Preface" to the old edition, found in the 
third paragraph of this chapter. Thus they 
withdrew their indorsement of Mrs. White's 
claims of having received the material for her 
books from "the illumination of the Holy Spirit." 



CHAPTER X. 



Her Prophecies. 



The reader may be inclined to ask : "What 
about Mrs. White's prophecies? Does she make 
any, and do they come true?" We answer: No. 
A few of her misstatements of the future are as 
follows : 

1. Time almost finished. — "Some are looking 
too far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has 
continued a few years longer than they expected ; 
therefore they think it may continue a few years 
more." {"Early Writings," Revised, page 58.) 

This was published in 1851. She was mistaken 
regarding the shortness of time in this instance — 
or, rather, the longness of time. 

2. Time almost finished. — "Time can last but a 
very little longer." {"Early Writings," Revised, 
page 58.) 

3. Time almost finished. — "In a view given 
June 27, 1850, my accompanying angel said: 
Time is almost finished/ " {"Early Writings," 
Revised, page 6U>) 

Something was wrong with that angel ! 

4. Christ soon coming. — "Christ is soon com- 
ing." {"Early Writings," Revised, page 11.) 
"His speedy coming." {Page 113.) "The short- 
ness of time." {Page 120.) "Time is almost 



Adventism and the Bible. 69 

finished." {Page 67.) "A few short months." 
("Testimonies," Volume I., page 186.) 

5. A conference. — "I was shown the company 
represented at the conference. Said the angel: 
'Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven 
last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon 
the earth to be translated at the coming of 
Christ." ("Testimonies," Volume I., page 131.) 

That was in 1856. The youngest one at that 
conference who is still living is about eighty years 
of age. Something must happen right away if 
this prophecy is to come true. 

6. The Civil War. — "Thousands have been in- 
duced to enlist with the understanding that this 
was to exterminate slavery; but now that they 
are fixed, they find that they have been deceived." 
("Testimonies," Volume I., page 25U.) 

But they had not been deceived. Mrs. White 
was mistaken. This was written during the Civil 
War. 

7. The Civil War. — "If we succeed in quelling 
this rebellion, what has been gained? They can 
only answer discouragingly : 'Nothing/ That 
which caused the rebellion is not removed. The 
system of slavery which has ruined our nation is 
left to live and stir up another rebellion." ("Tes- 
timonies " Volume I., page 255.) 

Was slavery "removed?" Was slavery "left to 
live?" Had the soldiers been "deceived?" 

8. The Civil War.— "When England does de- 
clare war, all nations will have an interest of 
their own to serve, and there will be general war, 



70 Adventism and the Bible. 

general confusion. " ("Testimonies," Volume I., 
page 259.) 

England built the "Alabama" for the Confed- 
eracy. This led many to conclude that England 
was preparing to take sides with the South. 
This is what Mrs. White is alluding to. She was 
of that opinion also. 

9. The Civil War. — "Had our nation remained 
united, it would have had strength; but, divided, 
it must fall." ("Testimonies," Volume I., page 
260.) 

"Our nation" has evidently fallen uphill! 

10. The San Francisco earthquake. — "While in 
Loma Linda, Cal., April 16, 1906, there passed 
before me a most wonderful representation. 
During the vision of the night I stood on an emi- 
nence, from which I could see houses shaken like 
a reed in the wind. Buildings, great and small, 
were falling to the ground. Pleasure resorts, the- 
aters, hotels, and the homes of the wealthy were 
shaken and shattered. . . . The following 
day I pondered the scenes that had passed before 
me and the instruction that had been given. 
. . . On April 18, two days after the scene of 
falling buildings had passed before me, I went to 
fill an appointment in the Car Street Church, Los 
Angeles. As we neared the church, we heard the 
newsboys crying: 'San Francisco destroyed in 
an earthquake!'" ("Testimonies," Volume IX., 
pages 92-9 U.) 

She here claims that she saw all this in a dream 
during the night of April 16. The next day, in- 



Adventism and the Bible. 71 

stead of telling it, she states positively that she 
"pondered" it. Then on April 18 she went to Los 
Angeles, yet up to this time never having spoken 
a word to a single soul of the "most wonderful 
representation" which had passed before her two 
days previously. About the first of June the fore- 
going quotation was published in the Advent Re- 
view and Sabbath Herald. Thus six weeks after 
the event happened she wrote about it. Why did 
she not write about it six weeks or one week or 
one day before it happened? 

11. Battle Creek burned. — When the Advent 
headquarters at Battle Creek, a few years ago, 
burned down, the next day Mrs. White sent a tel- 
egram to the authorities there, and later pub- 
lished the same in her "Testimonies," that for 
months she had seen an angel with a flaming 
sword standing over Battle Creek, threatening it 
with destruction by fire. Yet not once during all 
these weeks did she ever write a line or speak a 
sentence of this awful omen thus presenting it- 
self. 



CHAPTER XL 



The Law. 



From the State camp meeting — held at Dallas, 
Texas, 1911 — I was sent to Gober, Texas, to hold 
a meeting. Clifford Taylor and his wife were 
sent along as my assistants — and they were good 
ones. The meeting lasted for six weeks, and 
about forty people were leaning toward Advent- 
ism at its close. 

The three churches in Gober (Methodist, Bap- 
tist, and Christian) challenged for a debate. I 
have never known how to run ; so I accepted. H. 
L. Pirtle, an experienced debater of the Meth- 
odist Church, was chosen for the contest, and the 
three churches backed him. . 

The debate lasted eight days — September 8-18. 

At the close of the debate the Christian people 
were not satisfied, and they challenged for an- 
other debate. They sent for Joe S. Warlick, 
champion debater of the Christian faith in Texas, 
and the Adventists sent for W. A. McCutchen, 
president of the Texas Conference of Seventh- 
Day Adventists. This second debate was held in 
Gober in November. I was teaching school near 
Santa Anna, Texas, and returned to Gober to 
witness the debate. 

McCutchen's throat gave way, and the debate 
frazzled out at the ends. Adventism in Gober 



Adventism and the Bible. 73 

also frazzled out at the ends. McCutchen was 
scheduled to meet Warlick at Cash and Angelina, 
Texas, in two contests in the spring of 1912 ; but 
he saw at this debate that his throat would not 
allow him to engage in another such wrangle. So 
he and Elder Hopkins called me to McCutchen's 
room during the debate with Warlick, and Mc- 
Cutchen told me to go back to Santa Anna and 
to prepare to meet Warlick myself the next spring 
at these two places. 

I knew the issue. The contest would center 
about "the law." "The law," with an Adventist, 
means the Ten Commandments. But "the law," 
with Warlick and his people, meant the entire 
legal system of the Old Testament, commonly ex- 
pressed in the first five books of Moses — the Pen- 
tateuch. 

I took my concordance and tabulated every pas- 
sage in the Old Testament that in any way refers 
to "the law." I then read the entire New Testa- 
ment through and tabulated on the fly leaves of 
my Bible every passage in the New Testament 
that refers to "the law." 

Then I began eliminating and cataloguing. I 
was hunting for truth — the truth on the question 
of "the law." But I will confess here and now 
that one thing trumped me: there was not one 
text in all the Bible that referred to the Ten Com- 
mandments as (i the law." I made out a number 
of catalogues of my findings and sent them to Mc- 
Cutchen for assistance. The weight of the argu- 
ment was certainly with Warlick. Mind you, I 



74 Adventism and the Bible. 

was not reading Advent literature ; I was reading 
the Bible. 

McCutchen sent my findings to Elder Hopkins, 
who had moderated for me during the debate with 
Pirtle. Hopkins is yet one of the leading Advent 
preachers of Texas. Hopkins sent them to Will- 
iam Cubley, another Texas minister among them. 
And they all wrote me letters — McCutchen, Hop- 
kins, and Cubley — and each warned that I be 
careful; that I was slipping, etc. Hopkins said 
a whole lot about "Sister White," and Cubley said 
I was on the trail that every one had followed 
who had left "the truth." 

But that mattered little with me. The study 
and the correspondence were continued. Mc- 
Cutchen wrote me that it was impossible for me 
to meet Warlick with my newly developed views. 
I was really up in the air. 

In April, 1912, the Union Conference was held 
at Keene; and McCutchen asked me to tabulate 
my difficulties and bring them to the conference. 
I did — stenciled them on charts measuring 
twenty-two by twenty-seven inches. There were 
a half dozen of these charts. During the confer- 
ence he arranged for a meeting with me. Thir- 
teen of the Texas ministers and Elders A. G. Dan- 
iels, president of the General Conference of Sev- 
enth-Day Adventists, also G. B. Thompson, the 
submarine chaser of the movement, were with me 
in a room in the basement of the large church at 
Keene. Elder McCutchen asked me to outline my 
difficulties. I hung up my charts and outlined 



Adventism and the Bible. 75 

what I had found. Elder Daniels had been com- 
missioned to answer me. Daniels, the meanwhile, 
busied himself by walking up and down the room 
with his hands under the tail of his Prince Albert 
coat, and in nicely popping the same at inter- 
vals. 

After I finished, Daniels stopped and said: 
"My dear young brother, have you not learned so 
little as yet as to know that the expression 'the 
law,' as it commonly occurs in the Bible, often re- 
fers to the first five books of the Bible, the law of 
Moses, commonly known as the Pentateuch ?" 

I said: "Elder, if you will hold your foot on 
that proposition for about a minute, we will con- 
vince every one of these preachers right here and 
now." 

McCutchen spoke up and said: "Why, Elder 
Daniels, that is the very point he has been con- 
tending for — that 'the law' is a term that includes 
the entire Pentateuch, and not just the Ten Com- 
mandments." 

Daniels turned sharply on his heel and said: 
"Well, of course, you understand, brethren, when 
I say the expression 'the law' means the Penta- 
teuch, you understand I mean in a secondary 
sense." 

And there the meeting came to an end. 

In the remainder of this chapter the reader will 
find the charts that were presented to those fif- 
teen brethren on the occasion referred to. 

To an Adventist "the law" means the Ten Com- 
mandments, unless the context speaks of ceremo- 



76 Adventism and the Bible. 

nies or as the law having passed away, then it 
means "the law of Moses." 

The Two Laws. 

We read of the "two covenants." (Gal. 4: 24.) 
We read of the "two witnesses." (Rev. 11: 13.) 
We read of the "two olive trees." (Zech. 4:3.) 
We read of the "first Adam" and of the "second Adam;" 
but nowhere do we read of the two laws! 

Furthermore. 

We read nothing of a "temporal law." 

We read nothing of an "eternal law." 

We read nothing of a "moral law." 

We read nothing of a "ceremonial law." 

Moses spoke only of "the law." 

The prophets spoke only of "the law." 

Our Lord spoke only of "the law." 

Paul wrote only of "the law." 

"The law" is found fifty-one times in the book of Ro- 
mans and twenty-nine times in the book of Galatians, but 
"the laws" not once in all the Bible. 

Some Law Titles. 

The law. (John 1: 17.) 

The law of the Lord. (Luke 2: 24.) 

The law of God. (Neh. 10: 29.) 

The law of Moses. (Acts 15: 5.) 

The law of the God of heaven. (Ez. 7: 6.) 

The law of thy God. (Ez. 7: 14.) 

The book of the law. (Neh. 8:3.) 

The book of Moses. (Neh. 13: 1.) 

The book of the covenant. (2 Kings 23: 2.) 

The book of the law of God. (Neh. 8:8.) 

The book of the law of the Lord. (Neh. 9: 13.) 

The book of the law of Moses. (Neh. 8:1.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 77 

But these are titles of one and the same docu- 
ment — namely, "the law." 



God Gave 



What God Gave. 

The book of the law. (Neh. 8:1.) 
Moses' law. (Ez. 7: 6.) 



What Moses Gave. 

The law. (John 1: 17.) 
E 1 The law of the Lord. (2 Chron. 34: 14.) 
God's law. (Neh. 10: 29.) 

This is directly opposed to Adventism, which 
teaches that Moses gave the former, while God 
gave the latter. 

During my student years in the Adventist 
training school at Keene, Texas, I discovered that 
something of a fundamental nature was the mat- 
ter with "the law" question. It was always a 
"question" with every one. I had no time to 
make a thorough examination; but in 1910, im- 
mediately after graduating from the institution, 
I began to study the question of the law again — 
this time not as I found it in Advent literature, 
but as I found it in the Bible. The following is a 
result of that study : 

Things "Written in the Law." 

/firstborn (Ex. 13: 2) v 

at , , n «k „ dough (Lev. 23: 27) 
reh. 10: 25-37 { ^ ^ lg; 21 > The Law. 

wine and oil (Deut. 18: 2) / 



78 Adventism and the Bible. 

Num. 10:34 /wood offering (Lev. 6: 12) 
Matt. 12: 5 ( priests (Num. 28: 9) 
1 Cor. 14: 21 ) tongues (Isa. 28: 11) 
Num. 10:34 \ altar (Lev. 6: 12) 
Num. 10: 34 / sons (Lev. 13: 2) 
Num. 10: 34 \ cattle (Lev. 27: 26) 

Not one of these things can be found in the 
Ten Commandments ; yet they can all be found in 
the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. 

"Written in the Law of the Lord." 

Pigeons. (Luke 2: 24.) 
Burnt offerings. (2 Chron. 31: 3.) 
Acts of Joshua. (2 Chron. 35: 26.) 
Altar. (1 Chron. 14: 40.) 
Sacrifices. (Luke 2: 24.) 
Firstborn. (Luke 2: 23.) 

Luke 2 : 23 states something of "the firstborn" 
as having been written "in the law of the Lord." 
We turn to the Ten Commandments to find what 
was written, but there is nothing about the first- 
born. Then we turn to Ex. 24 : 20 ; Lev. 26 : 14 ; 
Num. 18: 27; Deut. 15: 19, and there we find 
things written of the firstborn. 

"Written in the Book of Moses." 

Josh.8:31 r altar (Ex. 24: 20). 
Dan. 9: 11 J curse (Lev. 26: 14, 16). 
1 Cor. 9:9 [oxen (Deut. 25: 4). 

These things are not found in the Ten Com- 
mandments; but they are found in the first five 
books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. 



Adventism and the Bible. 79 

"Written in the Book of the Covenant." 

/ passover (Ex. 12: 11). 

„ _. \ passover (Lev. 23: 5). 

2 Kings 23: 21 / XT n \ 

& I passover (Num. 9:2). 

\ passover (Deut. 25: 4). 

These things, also, were written in the first 
five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. 
Hence : 

"The law" equals the five books of Moses. 
"The law of the Lord" equals the five books of Moses. 
"The law of Moses" equals the five books of Moses. 
"The book of the covenant" equals the five books of 
Moses. 

No one disputes this axiom: "Things equal to 
the same thing are equal to each other." Hence 
the four titles just given refer to one and the 
same thing — the legal system of Israel given by 
God through Moses. 

Some Things Found in the Law. 

Women to keep silent. (1 Cor. 14: 34.) 

Not to covet. (Rom. 7:7.) 

Man feeding a flock. (1 Cor. 9:9.) 

High priests. (Heb. 7: 28.) 

Vineyards. (1 Cor. 9:9.) 

Respect of persons. (James 2: 9.) 

Tithe. (Heb. 7: 5.) 

Gifts. (Heb. 8:4.) 

Prophecy of Christ. (John 12: 34.) 

Circumcision. (Gal. 5: 3.) 

Shadow. (Heb. 10: 1.) 

Genealogies. (Tit. 3: 9.) 

Each of these twelve items can be found in the 
first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. 



80 Adventism and the Bible. 

There is not a text in the entire Bible that re- 
fers to the Ten Commandments as u the law." 

The Legal System. 

"The law" was nothing more nor less than the 
legal system of Israel. This system is found in 
the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. 
The law was a unit; but it had in it moral, civil, 
ceremonial, and religious statutes — thus: 

Moral. — "Pertaining to the practice, manners, 
and conduct of men, as social beings, in relation 
to each other, and with reference to right and 
wrong." (Webster.) 

Disobedience to parents. (Ex. 21: 15.) 

Negligence. (Ex. 21: 28^30.) 

Accidental homicide. (Num. 35: 9-28.) 

Assault. (Lev. 24: 19.) 

Rape. (Ex. 22: 16.) 

Unlawful marriage. (Lev. 20.) 

Perversion of justice. (Ex. 22: 9.) 

Kidnaping. (Deut. 4: 7.) 

Confusion. (Lev. 18: 23.) 

Abomination. (Lev. 18: 22.) 

Ceremonial. — 

Burnt offerings. (Lev. 1.) 

Meat offerings. (Lev. 2.) 

Peace offerings. (Lev. 3.) 

Sin offerings. (Lev. 4.) 

Consecration of priests. (Lev. 8: 9.) 

Purification of women. (Lev. 12.) 

Cleansing of lepers. (Lev. 13.) 

Atonement. (Lev. 16.) 

Feasts. (Lev. 23.) 

Civil. — 

Slaves. (Lev. 25: 47-54.) 

Lands. (Lev. 25: 27.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 81 

Debts. (Deut. 15: 1-11.) 

Usury. (Ex. 22: 25-27.) 
Pledges. (Deut. 24: 6-18.) 

Religious. — 

Worship of other gods forbidden. (Ex. 20: 3.) 

Images forbidden. (Ex. 20: 4.) 

Molten gods forbidden. (Ex. 34: 17.) 

Swearing. (Ex. 20: 7.) 

Pictures forbidden. (Ex. 20: 4; Num. 35: 52.) 

The Sabbath. (Ex. 20: 11.) 

This fourfold legal system was "God's law/' 
(Neh. 10: 29.) This was also "the law." (John 
1: 17.) This was "the law of the Lord." (Luke 
2: 24.) Joshua "meditated" in this law. (Josh. 
1: 7, 8.) So did every righteous man, according 
to David. (Ps. 1: 1, 2.) This fourfold system 
was "all the law." (2 Kings 17: 13.) It was 
"the whole law." (2 Chron. 33: 8.) 

"The Law and the Prophets." 

Moses and the prophets are connected in three 
different expressions in the New Testament. 
These expressions are : 

"Moses and the prophets." (Luke 16: 29; 
Acts 26: 22; Luke 24: 44.) 

"The lata of Moses and the prophets." (John 
1 : 45 ; Acts 28 : 23 ; Luke 24 : 44.) 

"The laiv and the prophets." (Matt. 11: 13; 
Matt. 22: 40; Rom. 3: 21; Acts 13: 15; Acts 24: 
14; Matt. 5: 17.) 

This should be sufficient to prove that these 
three expressions refer to one and the same thing 
— namely, the writings of Moses and the writings 
of the prophets. 

6 



CHAPTER XII. 



The Covenants and Israel. 



Jehovah promised the land of Canaan to Abra- 
ham and his posterity. (Gen. 15: 18; 1 Chron. 
16: 18.) When Israel, his children in the flesh, 
came to receive the land (four hundred years 
after the promise had been made), God required 
of them a formal contract. 

The Contract. 

The Proposal.— -The proposal took place at Si- 
nai. The Lord called Moses up into the mount 
and said unto him : "If ye will obey my voice in- 
deed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a 
peculiar treasure unto me." (Ex. 19: 5.) Is- 
rael answered : "We will." (Ex. 19 : 8.) 

In this proposal Jehovah called attention to his 
"voice" (the prophets), which they were to obey, 
and to his "covenant," which they were to sub- 
scribe to. The covenant was his contract. 

The Contract. — Read the parable of the house- 
holder (Matt. 21: 33-44): 

Householder — Jehovah. 
Husbandmen — the Jews. 
Servants — the prophets. 
Vineyard — Canaan. 
The contract — Ten Commandments. 



Adventism and the Bible. 83 

Israel agreed to obey the contract. Their agree- 
ing to obey the contract must of necessity be 
something different from the contract itself. 
Note the following: 

"And he wrote upon the tables the words of the con- 
tract, the ten commandments." (Ex. 34: 28.) 

"The tables of the contract which the Lord made with 
you [the children of Israel]." (Deut. 9:9.) 

"And in it I have put the ark, wherein is the contract 
of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel." 
(2 Chron. 6: 11.) 

I have supplied "contract" for "covenant" in 
these quotations, because the two words, as here- 
in used, are synonymous. 

Mrs. Ellen G. White, in "Patriarchs and Proph- 
ets," page 507, states that the Ten Command- 
ments were the "terms" of the contract between 
Jehovah and Israel. Jehovah, the landlord, 
leased (or rented) his "vineyard" (Canaan) to 
the Jews. Like any other landlord, he entered 
into a contract with his tenants. His contract 
was the Ten Commandments. 

The Covenant Commanded. — Adventists pre- 
sume to find a "commanded covenant" in Deut. 
4: 13. They contend that the transaction at Si- 
nai was the "made" covenant, and the covenant 
in Deut. 4: 13 is the "commanded" covenant. 
But they miss the literal wording of this pas- 
sage. The passage states that Jehovah "de- 
clared" the Ten Commandments, while he "com- 
manded" Israel. Israel was the one commanded, 
not the Ten Commandments. 



84 Adventism and the Bible. 

The New Covenant. 
The new dispensation has its covenant also. 
But the new covenant is entirely different from 
the old. The old covenant passed away with the 
old dispensation. "In that he saith, A new cov- 
enant, he hath made the first old. Now that 
which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to van- 
ish away." (Heb. 8: 13.) The main points of 
difference between the two covenants — the old 
and the new — are the following: 

Old. — Graven on stone. (Ex. 32: 16.) 

New. — Engraven on the heart. (2 Chron. 3: 3.) 

Old.— Given to the Jews only. (Deut. 4: 8, 9; Eph. 2: 
12.) 

New. — Given to all peoples. (Acts 17: 30.) 

Old.— Was "carnal." (Gal. 4: 24, 29.) 
New.— Is spiritual. (Gal. 4: 29.) 

Old.— Type, bud, of the old system. (Heb. 9: 24.) 
New. — Antitype, blossom, of the old. (Heb. 9: 23.) 

Old. — Temporary; passed away. (Heb. 8: 13; 9: 9.) 
New. — Eternal; never to pass away. (Heb. 12: 28; 
9: 12.) 

Old. — Natural; "natural branches." (Rom. 11: 21.) 
New. — Spiritual; "spiritual household." (1 Pet. 2:5.) 

Old.— Imperfect. (Heb. 8:7.) 
New.— Perfect. (1 Cor. 13: 10.) 

Old. — Given to children in development. (Gal. 3: 21.) 
New. — Given to mature persons, spiritually. (1 Cor. 
13: 11.) 

Old.— Was taken out of the way. (Heb. 10: 9.) 
New. — Was established. (Heb. 10: 9.) 

Old. — Blessings were temporary. (1 Chron. 16: 18; 
Heb. 11: 39.) 

New. — Blessings are eternal. (1 Pet. 4: 1.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 85 

Old.— Proclaimed on Mount Sinai. (2 Chron. 6: 11.) 
New.— Proclaimed on Mount Zion. (Heb. 12: 18-22.) 

Old. — Shook the earth when proclaimed. (Ex. 20: 18.) 
New.— Shook also heaven. (Heb. 12: 26.) 

Old.— Negative; "thou shalt not." (Ex. 20: 1-17.) 
New. — Positive; "thou shalt." (Matt. 5: 7.) 

Old.— Dealt with commands. (Ex. 20: 23.) 
New.— Deals with principles. (Matt. 12: 30; Rom. 12: 
9; Gal. 5: 21.) 

Old. — Was a system of bondage. (Acts 15: 10.) 
New. — Is a system of liberty. (Gal. 5:2.) 

Old. — Its land was Canaan, and its people Israel. 
(Gen. 13: 15; 12: 2.) 

New. — Its land, the earth redeemed; and its people, 
"every nation and kindred and tongue and people." (Gen. 
12: 3; 18: 18; Rom. 4: 13.)" 

The legal tie of the old covenant was the law. 
The moral obligation of the new covenant is the 
gospel. Paul labored until the very end of his 
days showing the proper relationship of the law 
and the gospel. (Read Gal. 3.) Jehovah prom- 
ised that Abraham should be the father of all na- 
tions and heir of the world — that is, the new cov- 
enant was confirmed with Abraham. But the 
law (Israel) and Canaan were all added, thrown 
in, "till" the seed (Christ) should come. So, nec- 
essarily, when the seed came, the supplement, the 
added part, fell away. 

Characteristics of the New Covenant. 

New. — Our Lord was the scribe who brought 
out of his storehouse things both "new and old." 
(Matt, 13 : 52.) But he did not sew the old patch 



86 Adventism and the Bible. 

on to the new garment. (Matt. 9: 16.) Some 
of the new things that he brought out of his 
storehouse are these : 

New doctrine. (Mark 1: 27.) 

New tongues. (Mark 16: 17.) 

New lump. (1 Cor. 5:7.) 

New testament. (John 13: 34.) 

New creatures. (2 Cor. 5: 17.) 

New man. (Eph. 2: 15.) 

New way. (Heb. 10: 20.) 

New babes. (1 Pet. 2:2.) 

New heaven and new earth. (2 Pet. 3: 13.) 

New passover. (1 Cor. 5:7.) 

New sacrifices. (1 Pet. 2:5.) 

New praise offering. (Heb. 12: 15; Lev. 7: 12.) 

New day of worship. (Rev. 1: 10; 1 Cor. 16: 1, 2.) 

New supper. (1 Cor. 11: 24.) 

Better. — It is not possible to raise a nation of 
slaves to perfect religious, moral, and civic stand- 
ards at a single effort. The Lord did the best 
he could with the conditions in hand. But he had 
something better for them. These better things 
came through the gospel. A few of them are the 
following : 

Better hope. (Heb. 7: 10.) 
Better resurrection. (Heb. 11: 35.) 
Better sacrifices. (Heb. 9: 23.) 
Better country. (Heb. 11: 16.) 
Better covenant. (Heb. 8: 6.) 
Better things. (Heb. 12: 24.) 

Living. — Another characteristic of the new 
covenant is that it is a living covenant. All its 
parts vibrate with life. This was not so of the 
old dispensation. The sacrifices were all decay- 



Adventism and the Bible. 87 

ing stuff. The priests were constantly dying. 
Under the new order we have a different nature 
of things — thus: 

Living water. (John 10: 4.) 
Living bread. (John 6: 51.) 
Living sacrifices. (Rom. 12: 1.) 
Living way. (Heb. 10: 20.) 
Living stone. (1 Pet. 2:4.) 
Living fountain. (Rev. 7: 17.) 
Living Christ. (Matt. 28: 20.) 

The Two Houses of Israel. 

Nothing is more clearly taught in the word of 
God than that there are two houses of Israel — 
the one "natural" and the other "spiritual." 
Paul puts it thus : "There is a natural body, and 
there is a spiritual body." (1 Cor. 15: 44.) The 
spiritual was not first, "but that which is nat- 
ural; and afterwards that which is spiritual." 
(ICor. 15: 46.) 

Following this line of reasoning, Paul held that 
the Jews were "the natural branches" (Rom. 11: 
21) ; and Peter adds that Christians constitute a 
"spiritual household" (1 Pet. 2:5). 

Going on to conclusions from such a premise, 
Paul observes that the natural man cannot un- 
derstand spiritual things. Since the Jews were 
"natural," their laws had to be natural ; and, con- 
versely, since Christians are a "spiritual house- 
hold," their laws must of necessity be spiritual 
also. Hence, when the Jews were cut off, their 
natural laws were cut off with them; and, just 
so, when the Christian stock was grafted in, suit- 



88 



Adventism and the Bible. 



able spiritual laws were grafted in likewise. The 
whole scheme may be seen at a glance by means 
of the following chart : 



The Two Houses of Israel. 



Jew. 

Natural. 



Christian. 

Spiritual. 



"There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 
That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and 
afterwards that which is spiritual." (1 Cor. 15: 44-46.) 



Branches. (Rom. 11: 21.) 
Adam. (1 Cor. 15: 45.) 
Moses. (Deut. 18: 15.) 
Kingdom. (Ex. 19: 5-8.) 
Law. (Matt. 5: 27, 33, 43.) 
Covenant. (Deut. 5: 2, 3.) 
Sacrifices. (Heb. 9: 9, 10.) 
Testament. (2 Cor. 3: 14.) 
Dispensation. (Matt. 21: 33.) 
Priesthood. (Heb. 7: 27.) 
Commandment. (Heb. 7: 16.) 
Birth. (Job 14: 1.) 



House. (1 Pet. 2: 5.) 
Adam. (1 Cor. 15: 45.) 
Moses. (Acts 3: 22.) 
Kingdom. (Heb. 12: 8.) 
Law. (Heb. 12: 18-26.) 
Covenant. (Heb. 8: 9.) 
Sacrifices. (1 Pet. 2: 5.) 
Testament. (2 Cor. 3: 6.) 
Dispensation. (Eph. 3: 12.) 
Priesthood. (Heb. 9: 11.) 
Commandment. (Rom. 7: 12.) 
Birth. (John 3: 3, 5.) 



"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.' 
(1 Cor. 2: 14.) 



Law. (John 1: 17.) 
Letter. (2 Cor. 3: 6.) 
Childhood. (Gal. 3: 24.) 
Bondage. (Acts 15: 10.) 



Grace. (Rom. 6: 14.) 
Spirit. (2 Cor. 3: 6.) 
Maturity. (Gal. 3: 24.) 
Liberty. (Gal. 5: 1.) 



ISHMAEL Gal. 4: 21... 

ESAU Gen. 25: 23... 

SINAI Heb. 12: 18-26. 



.ISAAC 
JACOB 
. ..ZION 



CHAPTER XIII. 



The Decalogue Not Eternal. 



Adventists contend that the Ten Command- 
ments are perfect in character, eternal in dura- 
tion, universal in application, and unalterable in 
nature. We shall now make inquiry as to the re- 
liability of these pretentious claims. Read Ex. 
20: 1-17. 

Perfect in Character. 

By this statement they mean that the Ten Com- 
mandments enjoin every good and forbid every 
evil. A great claim, this. It is literally impossi- 
ble, per their theory, to commit a sin that is not 
a direct violation of one of these ten commands. 
But against this contention we note the follow- 
ing: 

Adultery. — The seventh of these Ten Com- 
mandments says: "Thou shalt not commit adul- 
tery." Adultery is unlawful intercourse of a mar- 
ried person with any one else — that is to say, 
adultery is a species of sexual sins ; that is to say, 
further, that adultery is not the genus, covering 
all sexual sins, but one of the many. That there 
are sexual sins other than adultery is evident 
when we call attention to the following : 

1. Abomination — lying "with mankind as with 
womankind." (Lev. 18: 22.) 



90 Adventism and the Bible. 

2. Confusion — lying "with any beast to defile 
thyself therewith." (Lev. 18 : 23.) 

3. Fornication — unlawful intercourse of a sin- 
gle person with another. (1 Cor. 5:1.) 

4. Self-abuse. 

Lying. — The eighth command forbids bearing 
false witness "against" thy "neighbor." Bearing 
false witness for a "neighbor" is not forbidden. 
Bearing false witness against an alien is not for- 
bidden. The reader may be inclined to think that 
this is going to extremes ; but when we point out 
a few of the differences, as held by the Jews, be- 
tween one of themselves and an alien, the ex- 
treme will evidently vanish. That there was a 
great "middle wall of partition" in this respect 
is seen by the following facts : 

1. Soured meat could be sold to an alien, but 
not to a Jew. (Deut. 14: 21.) 

2. Alien slaves could be held forever, but He- 
brew slaves had to be released every seven years. 
(Lev. 25: 45; Deut. 15: 12-18.) 

3. Money could be loaned to aliens "upon 
usury," but not to a Jew. (Deut. 23: 20.) 

Thus there was a difference between a Jew 
and one who was not a Jew; and thus false wit- 
ness was forbidden as regards the Jew. Nothing 
is said relative to the alien. 

Images. — In the Old Testament there are three 
kinds of images — (1) the graven (Ex. 20: 4), 
(2) the molten (Ex. 34: 17), and (3) pictures 
(Num. 33: 52). 

The Ten Commandments forbid only the first 



Adventism and the Bible. 91 

of these — the "graven" — and possibly the third 
by the use of the word "likeness." 

Murder. — The sixth command forbids killing. 
It says nothing about hate, envy, jealousy, anger, 
or the like. 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FORBID 
OVERT ACTS, BUT ARE SILENT REL- 
ATIVE TO MOTIVES THAT LEAD TO 
THE ACTS— EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF 
COVETING. 

Adultery, the act, is forbidden; lust, the motive, 
is not. 

Killing, the act, is forbidden ; hate, the motive, 
is not. 

But stealing, the act, is forbidden; and covet- 
ing, the motive, also is forbidden. This is the 
exception. 

But an Adventist argues like this : "Before one 
can commit adultery he must lust, and before 
one can kill he must hate ; hence lust is forbidden 
in adultery and hate in kill." 

But over against this contention we point out 
this fact: "Before one can steal he must first 
covet; hence, per the foregoing contention, cov- 
eting, the motive, is forbidden in stealing, the 
act." But this is precisely what is not so. There 
are only ten commands in the decalogue, and one 
of these, the eighth, forbids stealing; while an- 
other, the tenth, forbids coveting. Had this plan 
been carried out relative to adultery and killing, 
there would have been two more commands in 
the Ten Commandments, one being, "Thou shalt 



92 Adventism and the Bible. 

not hate," and the other, "Thou shalt not lust." 
But these commands are wanting. 

The Ten Commandments, therefore, do not for- 
bid every evil. 

Eternal in Duration. 

By eternal in duration Adventists mean that 
the Ten Commandments always have existed as 
found in Ex. 20 : 1-17, and that they always will 
exist as found there. They mean that the Ten 
Commandments were honored and obeyed eter- 
nities before the world was created, and that 
through eternity all the redeemed will be subject 
to them. Touching on this contention, we point 
out the following : 

The name of a thing cannot exist before the 
thing itself. In Gen. 2 we are told that God cre- 
ated all things and brought them to Adam for 
names. To make our point absurdly simple, let 
us state that up to that time there was no such 
animal as "cow." But when Adam said, "This 
one shall henceforth be called 'cow,' " that very 
moment cows came into being; and at that time 
the other living creatures received names in like 
manner. 

Thus is it obvious that the thing itself may ex- 
ist eternities without a name, but it is also ob- 
vious that the name of a thing cannot exist unless 
the thing itself is in existence. If the reader 
doubts this, we ask him to name something that 
he knows does not exist! Assuming, then, that 
we are all agreed on this point, we note the fol- 
lowing facts : 



Adventism and the Bible. 93 

1. There was a time when there was only one 
God (Jehovah). At that time the expression, 
"other gods," found in the second command, of 
the Decalogue, could not have had existence. 

2. There was a time when there were no im- 
ages, for there were no other gods. At that time 
the expression, "graven images," found in the 
second command of the Decalogue, could not have 
had existence. 

3. There was a time, before the days of Adam 
and Eve, when there were no fathers and moth- 
ers. At that time the expressions "father" and 
"mother" could not have had existence. 

4. There was a time, before the days of Cain, 
when no one had been killed. At that time the 
word "kill," the name of an action found in the 
Ten Commandments, could not have had exist- 
ence. 

We might go on ad infinitum with this list. 

Imagine Jehovah, eternities before the world 
was created, attempting to teach the Ten Com- 
mandments, as found in Ex. 20: 1-17, to the an- 
gels about his throne. What questions would 
they have asked when he came to "other gods," 
"graven images," "the earth beneath," "fathers," 
"children," "generation," "hate," "land," "kill," 
"adultery," "steal," "covet?" This is an amusing 
question if you will carry it the full length. 

The Ten Commandments, therefore, are not 
eternal in duration. 



94 Adventism and the Bible. 

Universal in Application. 
By universal in application Adventists mean 
that the Ten Commandments have been intended 
for, and have actually extended in authority to, 
every nation on the face of the earth from time 
eternal. We deny this contention for the follow- 
ing reasons : 

1. Jehovah, on Sinai, spoke ten words — no 
more, no less. So declares Deut. 10: 4 (margin). 
Such is the meaning of "decalogue" — deca, "ten ;" 
and logoi, "words" — "ten words!" 

2. These ten words were spoken to Israel. "I 
am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out 
of the land of Egypt." No other nation has been 
delivered from Egyptian bondage by Jehovah. 

3. The laws of the Jews extended to Gentiles 
only when Gentiles became proselytes to the Jew- 
ish religion. (Ex. 12.) There was then "one 
law" for all. 

4. The legal system of the Jews is limited to Is- 
rael. (Deut. 4: 8.) No other nation had this 
law. 

5. The Sabbath was given for a special pur- 
pose to the Jews. (Ex. 31: 13.) 

6. The Gentiles, until the time of Christ, were 
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, were 
strangers to all the privileges of the Jews, had 
no hope, and were without God. (Eph. 2: 12.) 

The Ten Commandments, therefore, were not 
universal in application. 



Adventism and the Bible. 95 

Unalterable in Nature. 

By unalterable in nature Adventists mean that 
the Ten Commandments shall stand just as they 
read in Ex. 20 : 1-17, to every jot and tittle, as 
long as heaven and earth shall stand. 

Their first proof of this is an assumption — an 
assumption that the Ten Commandments are per- 
fect. But we have already eliminated this as- 
sumption. We note the following: 

Oaths. — The third command deals exclusively 
with the use of God's name in the practice of mak- 
ing oaths. Israel, as a nation, were commanded 
to use God's name in making oaths. "Thou shalt 
swear by my name." (Deut. 6: 13.) But "thou 
shalt not swear by my name falsely." (Lev. 19 : 
12.) Putting these two commands together, we 
have the third command of the Decalogue: "Thou 
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
vain." 

Consider this on the question of taking oaths: 
Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. 
But before the servant left, Abraham said : "I 
will make thee swear by the Lord." (Gen. 24: 
3.) The servant then made his oath, putting his 
hand on Abraham's thigh (which was the custom 
then instead of holding his right hand up), there- 
by taking God's name — calling upon God as his 
witness. But the servant did not take God's 
name "in vain," for he performed the oath — did 
the thing he swore he would do. 

And note the case of Rahab, the harlot. 
Joshua sent two spies to Jericho. They lodged 



96 Adventism and the Bible. 

with Rahab, the harlot. When they were ready 
to leave, she demanded : "Swear unto me by the 
Lord." (Josh. 2: 12.) And after an interval 
they took their leave of her, but said: "We will 
be guiltless of this thine oath which thou hast 
made us swear." In this statement they used the 
identical expression found in the third command 
of the Decalogue: "For the Lord will not hold 
him guiltless," etc. 

To use God's name, therefore, was to swear by 
his name; and to use his name in vain was to 
swear and not perform the oath. 

Our Lord eliminated the third command of the 
Decalogue entirely. I refer to his Sermon on the 
Mount. "I say unto you, Swear not at all." 
(Matt. 5: 32.) The Ten Commandments per- 
mitted swearing where the oath was performed. 
Jesus forbade even that. This applies among 
Christians. This has nothing to do with taking 
oaths in court. 

The "land" of the fifth command was the land 
of Canaan. This land was promised to Abraham 
two hundred and fifteen years before the Egyp- 
tian bondage. (Gen. 13: 14.) Moses stated that 
Canaan was "the lot" of Israel's "inheritance." 
(1 Chron. 16: 18.) Christians have no promise 
of the land of Canaan. Our land is "the heav- 
enly country." 

Take the matter of remembering sins. In the 
second command Jehovah states that he remem- 
bered the "sins of the fathers" against the "third 
and fourth generations." The children of wicked 



Adventism and the Bible. 97 

parents were required to confess the sins of their 
ancestors to the fourth generation. (Lev. 26 : 
40.) But in the New Testament this require- 
ment is removed. Now he remembers "their sins 
and their iniquities" to the third and fourth gen- 
erations "no more." (Heb. 8: 6-13.) Thus each 
one of us must now give account "of himself unto 
God." (Rom. 14: 12.) 

The Ten Commandments, therefore, are not un- 
alterable in nature. 

We have found, then, that the Ten Command- 
ments are neither perfect in character, eternal in 
duration, universal in application, nor unalter- 
able in nature. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



The Law Abolished. 



In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ announced 
certain changes that were to take place in the 
Mosaic legal system. Six times our Lord called 
attention to that which "hath been said/' and 
six times he followed these words with the state- 
ment, "but I say unto you." The statements are 
the following: 

Moses said: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Matt. 
5: 27.) 

But I say: "Thou shalt not lust." (Verse 28.) 

Moses said: "Thou shalt not kill." (Verse 21.) 
But I say: "Thou shalt not be angry." (Verse 22.) 

Moses said: Divorce your wives for any cause. (Verse 
31.) 

But I say: For cause of fornication only. (Verse 31.) 

Moses said: Swear and pay. (Verse 33.) 
But I say: Swear not at all. (Verse 34.) 

Moses said: Retaliate. (Verse 38.) 
But I say: Retaliate not. (Verse 39.) 

Moses said: Love neighbor; hate enemy. (Verse 43.) 
But I say: Love even your enemy. (Verse 44.) 

The New Law Given. 

The old law was given from Sinai. That was 

a natural mount, and that was a natural law, and 

it was given for a natural people. The new law 

is given from Mount Zion. This is a spiritual 



Adventism and the Bible. 



99 



mount, the law is a spiritual law, and it is given 
for the "spiritual household" of new Israel. 
With characteristic rhetorical skill, the apostle 
Paul, in the twelfth chapter of the Hebrew letter, 
pictures the transfer of authority from Moses to 
Christ in the following manner : 



Israel at Sinai. 

1. Sinai, the mount that 
might be touched. (Heb. 
12: 18.) 



Christians at Zion. 

1. "Ye are come unto 
Mount Zion." (Heb. 12: 
22.) 



2. Israel came to the 2. Christians come to the 

"voice of words" — the ten voice of words spoken from 

words — deca, "ten;" logoi, heaven. (Heb. 12: 25.) 
"words." 



3. The words spoken 
from heaven shake also 
heaven. (Heb. 12: 26.) 

4. The words from Zion 
are eternal. 

5. The words from Zion 
remain. (Heb. 12: 27.) 



3. The words spoken on 
Sinai shook the earth. 
(Heb. 12: 26.) 

4. The words from Sinai 
were temporal. 

5. The words from Sinai 
have been removed. (Heb. 
12: 27.) 

6. The words from Sinai 
could be shaken. (Heb. 
12: 27.) 

Those things spoken from Sinai were cold com- 
mands. The things spoken from Zion are ani- 
mated ideals. Ideals are as much higher than 
commands as heaven is higher than earth. 

The Ten Commandments, the words spoken on 
Sinai, were limited to a single nation, to a given 
locality. That is why they shook the earth only. 
They could not extend elsewhere. But the ideals 
spoken from Zion shake not only the earth, but 



6. The words from Zion 
cannot be shaken. (Heb. 
12: 28.) 



100 Adventism and the Bible. 

heaven also — which is to say, their jurisdiction is 
unlimited. Hence the ideals from Zion are given, 
not to a single nation nor for a given locality, but 
to and for ' 'every nation and kindred and tongue 
and people." 

Matt. 5 : 17, 18. 

Contrary to the conclusion drawn from the fore- 
going material — that the legal system of the old 
order was limited and passed away — Adventists 
find a "balm in Gilead" in Matt. 5 : 17, 18. This 
passage is the strongest support in the entire Bi- 
ble for the theory of the perpetuity of the law. 
This is the first passage on the law question the 
prospective convert to Adventism learns. If, 
therefore, after we have considered it, the 
strength therein contained should prove to be 
wanting, the strongest prop for the Advent con- 
ception of the law is gone. 

I readily admit that the passage can be easily 
misunderstood in the light of Adventism. The 
passage reads : "Think not that I am come to de- 
stroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to 
destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, 
Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle 
shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be ful- 
filled." 

This passage, to an Adventist, teaches that so 
long as heaven and earth shall stand, one jot or 
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law. 
Such a reading is deceptive. The passage does 
not assert that the law would not pass away. 
What it does say is that every jot and every tittle 



Adventism and the Bible. 101 

of the law would hold good "till" all the law had 
been fulfilled. 

And this certainly leaves the inference that, 
after the law had been fulfilled, every jot and tit- 
tle of the law would pass away. We shall con- 
sider what immediately follows with this thought 
in mind : 

Our Lord walked to Emmaus with two men — 
after his resurrection. "And beginning at Moses 
and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in 
all the scriptures the things concerning himself." 
(Luke 24: 27.) In the preceding chapter we 
learned that "Moses and the prophets," "the law 
of Moses and the prophets," and "the law and the 
prophets," all meant one and the same thing — the 
writings of Moses and the writings of the proph- 
ets. Speaking to these same two men, our Lord 
continued: "These are the words which I spake 
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things 
must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of 
Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, 
concerning me." (Verse 44.) In this statement 
he referred straight as a bee line back to Matt. 5 : 
17, 18, where he had made such an announcement. 
The identical words are used. 

Matt. 5 : 17, 18 : "The law, ... the proph- 
ets, . . . all . . . fulfilled." 

Luke 24: 44: "All things . . . fulfilled, 
. . . the law, . . . the prophets." 

Some important words of explanation are 
added in the interview found in Luke 24: 44 — 
"concerning me," "law of Moses." Thus Luke 



102 Adventism and the Bible. 

24 : 44 is seen to be supplemental to Matt. 5 : 17, 
18. Matt. 5: 17, 18, therefore, in the light of 
Luke 24: 44, would read as follows: "Think not 
that I am come to destroy the law of Moses or the 
prophets or the psalms: I am not come to destroy 
the law of Moses or the prophets or the psalms, 
but to fulfill the law of Moses and the prophets 
and the psalms. For verily I say unto you, Till 
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law of Moses or the 
prophets or the psalms till all things written of 
me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the 
psalms shall be fulfilled." 

Thus was the law to stand, as surely as heaven 
and earth stood, until all the things that had 
been written in them concerning Christ should 
be fulfilled; and since he fulfilled all the things 
that had been written in these documents con- 
cerning himself, as surely as heaven and earth are 
standing, the law of Moses and the prophets and 
the psalms passed away. 

Paul's Testimony. — In later years, Paul, writ- 
ing to the Ephesians, testified to this very fact: 
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even 
the law of commandments contained in ordi- 
nances." (Eph. 2: 15.) 

While the law was standing, it was easier for 
heaven and earth to pass away than for one jot 
or one tittle of it to fail (Luke 16 : 16) ; but since 
the law was fulfilled, it would be easier for heaven 
and earth to pass away than for one jot or one 
tittle of the law to become authoritative again. 



Adventism and the Bible. 103 

Adventists rise up and say: "Then if there is 
no law, we may kill, steal, commit adultery, etc." 
In this they miss the point. "In that he saith, A 
new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now 
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to 
vanish away." (Heb. 8: 13.) It is another case 
of the old "Articles of Confederation" of the orig- 
inal thirteen States being superseded by the Con- 
stitution of the United States ; it is a case of Zion 
formulating ideals rather than Sinai issuing cold 
precepts ; it is a case of the "law of Christ" tak- 
ing the place of the "law of Moses." 

"Fulfill." 

Commentary on Matt. 5: 17. — The thirteenth 
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is a commen- 
tary on the word "fulfill" as used in Matt. 5 : 17 : 

Verse 15 : "The law and the prophets." 

Verse 20 : "Until Samuel the prophet." 

Verse 25 : "John fulfilled his course." 

Verse 33 : The promise had been "fulfilled." 

Verse 39 : "The law of Moses." 

Fulfill. — To "fulfill" means to reach the end of 
the prediction. The following passages show 
clearly how the word is used in the Scriptures : 

"Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." 
(Luke 21: 24.) 

"And as John fulfilled his course." (Acts 13 : 
25.) 

"What shall be the sign when all these things 
shall be fulfilled?" (Mark 13 : 4.) 

"The voices of the prophets, . . . they 
have fulfilled." (Acts 13: 27.) 



104 Adventism and the Bible. 

"And when they had fulfilled all that was writ- 
ten of him." (Acts 13: 29.) 

"The promise which was made unto the fa- 
thers, God hath fulfilled/' (Acts 13 : 32, 33.) 

After this manner, then, Jesus came to "ful- 
fill" all that had been written concerning himself. 
"All things must be fulfilled, which were written 
in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in 
the psalms, concerning me." (Luke 24: 44.) 

And he fulfilled them. He did not come as a 
destroyer; he came as a fulfiller. He was not a 
revolutionist; he was a reformer. Thus the law 
stood, as surely as heaven and earth stands, until 
the things predicted of him in it were accom- 
plished. After that, just so surely the law and 
the prophets and the psalms passed out of use — 
gave way to a greater law, the law of Christ. 



CHAPTER XV. 



The Nature of the Sabbath Day. 



It is hardly necessary to state that the Sabbath 
is the backbone of Adventism. "Separate the 
Sabbath from this message, and it loses its pow- 
er." ("Testimonies for the Church," Volume I., 
page 337.) 

Sabbath Not Part of the "Moral" Law. 

Morals and religion are not the same. Morals 
relate to man in his relation to his fellow man, 
while religion has to do with one's duties and re- 
lation to God. In the nature of things, all moral 
rules are perceptible by the ordinary exercise of 
the faculties of reason. The same is true regard- 
ing many religious duties. For instance, man, by 
reason, has concluded that there is a God ; and 
while man understands that this God is to be wor- 
shiped, man cannot, for the life of him, discover, 
by reason alone, which one of the seven days of 
the week this God would elect to be his own. In 
this a revelation certainly is necessary. 

"God created the heavens and the earth — but there was 
no Sabbath; God rested the seventh day — but yet there 
was no institution of the Sabbath; God blessed and sanc- 
tified (set apart to a sacred use) the rest day — and then 
Sabbath obligation existed." (J. H. Waggoner, in Wag- 
goner --Vo gel Debate, page 48.) 



106 Adventism and the Bible. 

According to this foremost Advent preacher, the 
Sabbath is a positive, rather than a moral, insti- 
tution. So, then, by nature, Adam could know 
nothing of the nature of the Sabbath until he had 
been informed of it by Jehovah. 

Sir William Blackstone reasons thus : 

"For as God, when he created matter, endued it with a 
principle of mobility, so, when he created man, he laid 
down certain immutable laws of human nature and gave 
him also the faculty of reason to discover the purport of 
those laws." ("Introduction Commentaries," Section II.) 

Hence the law of nature, according to this 
learned judge, is charged, so to speak, with those 
principles of justice which, previous to any pre- 
cept, were in themselves right — such, as he quotes 
from Justinian, that men should live honestly, 
that they should hurt nobody, and that they 
should render to every man his just dues. "These 
are the eternal, immutable laws of good and evil." 
These principles, he argues, can be discovered, ac- 
cording to divine arrangement, by the exercise of 
ordinary reason, with which God has endowed 
every creature. 

Blackstone, speaking further, says : 

"This law of nature, being coevil with mankind and 
dictated by God himself, is, of course, superior in obliga- 
tion to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all 
countries, and at all times. No human laws are of valid- 
ity if contrary to this, and such of them as are valid de- 
rive their force and all their authority, mediately or im- 
mediately, from this original." 

This "law of nature," then, being coevil with 
man, must of necessity antedate the Sabbath in- 



Adventism and the Bible. 107 

stitution, which came into being, as Waggoner 
says, after man. Since the "law of nature," 
therefore, antedates the Sabbath institution, it is 
"superior" to the Sabbath. Being thus superior 
to the Sabbath, it follows that it is not one with 
the Sabbath ; hence the Sabbath is not one of the 
law of nature. Thus the Sabbath is not moral, 
the point we are contending for. 

The Law of Revelation. 
Touching the law of revelation, Blackstone 
says, further, that God — 

"In compassion to the frailty, the imperfection, and the 
blindness of human reason, has been pleased, at sundry 
times and in divers manners, to discover and enforce his 
laws by an immediate and direct revelation. The doc- 
trines thus derived we call the revealed or divine law, and 
they are to be found only in the Holy Scriptures. But we 
are not from thence to conclude that the knowledge of 
these truths was obtainable by reason, since we find that, 
until they were revealed, they were hid from the wisdom 
of the ages. Upon these two foundations, the law of na- 
ture and the law of revelation, depend all human laws." 

If the sacredness attached by Moses to the Sab- 
bath day had been a part of the law of nature, all 
men everywhere, though they had never heard of 
the seventh day, would have known that the sev- 
enth day was the Sabbath of the Lord. But this 
was not so, and neither is it so to this day. This 
holds good of all revealed institutions. Consider 
the passover, also circumcision, as parallel exam- 
ples. 

It necessarily follows from this that if the Sab- 
bath day was not by the law of nature engraven 



108 Adventism and the Bible. 

upon the consciences of mankind in primeval 
times, the sacredness thereof, as recorded in the 
Scriptures, was not a part of the day until such 
sacredness was formally attached to it. Hence 
we are led again to affirm our proposition — that 
the Sabbath was no part of the moral law, but, as 
is now clearly seen, was positive and revealed. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



The Sabbath from Eden to the Exodus. 



Adventists assume much that should be proved. 
For instance, they assume that the word "sanc- 
tify," in Ex. 20: 11, means the announcement of 
the seventh day as the Sabbath for men, and of 
its being enjoined upon the human family in 
Eden. 

God might have sanctified the seventh day at 
the end of the first week, and in Eden ; but did he 
announce the day as the Sabbath ? 

There is no evidence that a sacred day was 
given to Adam. 

Sanctified, But Not Announced. 

Christ planned to become the ransom for lost ^fX\ ft 
man "before the world began." (1 Tim. 1:9.) X 
But this plan was kept "hid in God" until he came 
and made himself an offering for all. (Eph. 3: 
6, 9, 11.) Thus, though he was sanctified, set 
apart, even before the world began, the announce- 
ment was not made. From this it is evident that 
the announcement is not necessarily a part of the 
sanctification of a thing or object. 

A holy object can be set apart in the purpose 
of God as well as by announcement. 

Some things are self-evident — viz., the seventh 
day was not set apart before Jehovah rested on 



110 Adventism and the Bible. 

it; and neither did his resting on it set it apart. 
The seventh day was blessed and set apart "be- 
cause that in it" God "had rested." Thus the 
blessing and the sanctifying came after the rest- 
ing on it. 

FOR AUGHT WE KNOW AND FOR 
AUGHT THE PASSAGE SAYS, THE 
BLESSING AND THE SANCTIFYING 
MIGHT HAVE TAKEN PLACE A THOU- 
SAND YEARS AFTER THE RESTING 
^ TOOK PLACE. 

SYNCHRONISM. 

It is not uncommon for writers to connect two 
widely separated events and to speak of them in 
such a way as to lead the hasty reader to sup- 
pose they happened together. We call attention 
to the following: 

1. After telling the story of the tower of Babel, 
Moses adds, "Therefore is the name of it called 
Babel" (Gen. 11: 9)— 2218 B.C. connected with 
1492 B.C. » 

2. Similarly, in developing the family history 
of Noah, he has this: "And the sons of Javan; 
Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided." 
(Gen. 10: 4, 5.) Yet there were no "Gentiles" 
in the days of Noah. Thus he connects 2218 
B.C. with 1492 B.C. 

3. Likewise, after relating the story of Eve's 
creation, Moses goes on to say: "Therefore shall 
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall 
cleave unto his wife." (Gen. 2: 24.) Thus he 



Adventism and the Bible. Ill 

connects the marriage custom of his day with 
Eve's creation, or 4004 B.C. with 1492 B.C. 

4. Moses states that Adam called his wife 
"Eve" because she "is" the mother of all living. 
But Eve was not even a mother when Adam 
named her. (Gen. 3: 20.) Thus he connects 
4004 with the twentieth century. 

5. In John 11: 1, 2 the writer introduces for 
the first time Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. And 
John hastens to explain : "It was that Mary which 
anointed the Lord with ointment." This would 
certainly lead one to suppose that something had 
already been said concerning the anointing with 
ointment, but the anointing had not at this time 
taken place in the record of events. (See John 
12 : 3.) But he made use of the anointing to best 
advantage by introducing it when he mentioned 
the one who did it. 

6. Moses introduces the creation of the seventh 
day, and, along with its creation, he mentions its 
sa'nctification. Just how far apart these events 
are remains to be seen. 

The day was sanctified and blessed because God 
had rested from his work of creation on that day. 
Thus the Sabbath was created to commemorate 
God's resting from creation on that day. 

In the Days of the Patriarchs. 
The word "Sabbath" does not exist in the book 
of Genesis, nor a word that can properly be 
translated "Sabbath." In all this book we find 
neither a command authorizing any one to keep 
the seventh day holy nor an example of any one 



112 Adventism and the Bible. 

having done so. But, in answering this conten- 
tion, it has been urged that the book of Genesis 
is a brief record of primitive events and not a 
book of laws. We gladly admit the contention; 
yet we find laws or customs for the following 
comprehensive services in the book : 

1. Feast days. (Gen. 28: 27.) 

2. Marriage. (Gen. 34: 9.) 

3. Circumcision. (Gen. 17: 10.) 

4. Sacrifices. (Gen. 8: 20.) 

5. Oaths. (Gen. 24: 3.) 

6. Tithe. (Gen. 14: 20.) 

7. Altars. (Gen. 12: 7.) 

8. Priests. (Gen. 14: 18.) 

9. Sabbath? 

The End of Days. 

I am not contending that the absence of a state- 
ment of the observance of a Sabbath is proof that 
none was kept ; but had God desired to show that 
there was no Sabbath during all this time, with- 
out saying there was none, he would have gone 
about it in just that way. For instance, we know 
that Adam did not go to church in an automobile, 
because no mention is made of an automobile ! 

But the following passages, which speak of 
certain things as having been done at the end of 
days, the same being found in the book of Gen- 
esis, have been seized upon as proof of the exist- 
ence of a Sabbath during the days of the patri- 
archs : 

1. Gen. 4 : 3. Cain brought of the fruit of the 
ground as his sacrifice to the altar of the Lord 



Adventism and the Bible. 113 

"in process of time." The margin reads, "at the 
end of days." This is assumed to mean at the 
end of the week ; hence, on the Sabbath. But it 
is safe to add that he who grabs at a passage of 
this kind is sorely in need of assistance. In 1 
Kings 17: 7 we read (margin) that "at the end 
of days" a certain pool dried up. This must have 
been on the Sabbath, therefore! And in Neh. 
13 : 6 (margin) we learn that "at the end of days" 
Nehemiah obtained a certain request of the king. 
This does not mean on the Sabbath. 

2. Gen. 8 : 10. Noah sent the dove, at intervals 
of seven days, out of the ark. This is assumed to 
be proof that Noah kept the Sabbath. If such 
were all that it could possibly mean, then we 
should have to agree; but, at best, to use the 
words of D. R. Dungan, we must say that such a 
position is "the product of too fruitful an imag- 
ination." The ancients did, however, measure 
time by the moon, the quarters of which then, as 
now, occurred, practically speaking, every seven 
days. 

3. Gen. 26 : 5. Abraham obeyed the voice of 
God, kept his "charge," his "statutes," and his 
"laws." The Sabbath law is, of course, one of 
God's laws. Therefore, Abraham kept the Sab- 
bath ! Try this out on the Lord's Supper ; try 
this out on the passover. 

4. Gen. 29: 26-28. Jacob was to fulfill "her 
week," also to serve with his father-in-law "other 
seven years." "Week" here is assumed to be 
proof of the existence of the Sabbath. But did 



114 ADVENTISM AND THE BlBLE. 

they also keep the seventh year? What about 
the seven years he was to serve and did serve? 

5. Ex. 5 : 8, 17. Moses made the people "idle" 
when he went down to Egypt as recruiting offi- 
cer for the Lord. To some it is thus plain that 
he caused them to keep the Sabbath ! Was caus- 
ing them to keep the Sabbath the only way he 
could make them "idle?" If so, then they kept 
the Sabbath. But revolutionary agitators gener- 
ally make the people idle by having them attend 
meetings, work on committees, and the like. The 
above are all inferences, therefore, for which 
there can be offered other inferences just as 

Str ° ng - PENALTIES. 

There was a command not to partake of the 
forbidden fruit. For its violation there was a 
penalty. (Gen. 3:3.) 

For the violation of the law of circumcision 
there was a penalty. (Gen. 17: 11.) 

In the days of Moses and in the wilderness a 
man was found violating the Sabbath law that 
had been recently given. The people took the 
matter to Moses. Moses knew not what to do, for 
"it was not declared what should be done to him." 
(Num. 15: 34.) Moses took the matter to the 
Lord, and then, for the first time, a penalty for 
Sabbath violation was fixed. Why not before? 

In the Wilderness. 
We have found no traces of the Sabbath from 
Adam to Moses. We halt in the wilderness. 
Here, for the first time, we find the word "Sab- 



Adventism and the Bible. 115 

bath." Here we see no longer through a glass 
darkly, but face to face. 

Peter Vogel, in his written debate with J. H. 
Waggoner, laid down this proposition: When a 
rite is mentioned for the first time, it is never 
introduced with the definite article "the," but 
with the indefinite "a" or "an." We indorse this 
proposition and offer the following in substan- 
tiation of it : 

1. The day of atonement. (Lev. 23: 27.) "A 
day of atonement." 

2. The passover. (Lev. 12: 30.) "A memo- 
rial." Afterwards, "the Lord's passover." 

3. Pentecost. (Lev. 23: 21.) "An holy con- 
vocation." Afterwards, "the day of Pentecost." 
(Acts 2: 1.) 

4. Unleavened bread. (Ex. 12: 40.) "A feast." 
Afterwards, "the feast." (Lev. 23: 6.) 

5. Ingathering. (Lev. 23: 39.) "A feast." 
Afterwards, "the feast." (Heb. 8: 18.) 

6. Sabbath. (Lev. 16: 23.) "A solemn rest, a 
holy Sabbath unto Jehovah." Afterwards, "the 
Sabbath day." (Ex. 20: 11— Revised Version.) 

r "TO-MORROW IS A SOLEMN REST."1 
J (Ex. 16: 22.) WHY MAKE THIS AN-)* 
[NOUNCEMENT TO ISRAEL? J 

The Sabbath Introduced. 

1. Moses explained to the rulers that the next 
day would be the Sabbath. "To-morrow is the 
rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." (Ex. 
16: 23.) This he would not have done, would 



116 Adventism and the Bible. 

have had no occasion for doing, had they known 
at that time that the next day was to be a Sab- 
bath. 

2. Moses explained to the people that "to-day 
is a Sabbath." "And Moses said, Eat that to- 
day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord." 
(Ex. 16: 25.) 

Verse 23. Moses meets with the rulers. "To- 
morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath." 

Verse 25. Moses meets with the people. "To- 
day is a Sabbath unto the Lord." 

3. Moses explained about the coming of the 
Sabbath in the same way that he explained about 
the coming of the manna. Read his explanation 
in Ex. 15: 5-10. Adventists feel free to admit 
that the coming of the manna was a surprise. 
The coming of the Sabbath was explained in the 
same. 

4. Moses stated which of the seven days was 
to be the Sabbath. "On the seventh day, which 
is the Sabbath." (Ex. 16: 26.) Certain it is 
they did not know the seventh day was to be the 
Sabbath ; else why this minute explanation ? 

5. Moses explained who had given them the 
Sabbath. "See, for that the Lord hath given you 
the Sabbath." (Ex. 16: 29.) This surely was 
information to them. 

6. Moses explains to his readers that the peo- 
ple accepted the Sabbath. "So the people rested 
on the seventh day." (Ex. 16 : 30.) 

Yet Adventists would have one believe that the 
people had been keeping the Sabbath from ere- 



Adventism and the Bible. 117 

ation. Moses puts them right in this particular 
by testifying to the contrary. He tells his read- 
ers that he took pains to explain to the rulers 
that the next day would be the Sabbath. He 
tells his readers how he explained to the people 
that the next day was the Sabbath. He tells his 
readers how he gave instruction regarding the 
absence of the manna on the Sabbath; yet some 
went out to gather — thus demonstrating their 
nonacquaintance with the institution. And, lest 
the reader should fear that he made a failure to 
teach the Sabbath to the people, Moses states that 
the people "rested on the seventh day." 

' ON THESE FACTS WE BASE OUR"! 
CONTENTION THAT THE SABBATH 
WAS GIVEN IN THE WILDERNESS BY 

MOSES. 

The Stopping Places of the Exodus. 

1. From the Red Sea a three-days' journey 
into the wilderness of Shur. (Ex. 15 : 22.) 

2. From Shur to Elim. (Ex. 15: 27.) 

3. From Elim to the wilderness of Sin. (Ex. 
16: 1.) 

4. From the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim. 
(Ex. 17: 1.) 

5. From Rephidim to the "desert of Sinai." 
(Ex. 20: 1.) 

Events of the Exodus. 
1. Shur. "Bitter waters." Here the Lord gave 
them an ordinance. (Ex. 15: 25.) 



118 Adventism and the Bible. 

2. Elim. "Twelve wells of water" and seventy 
palm trees. (Ex. 15: 27.) 

3. Wilderness of Sin. The manna, quails, and 
the Sabbath. (Ex. 16.) 

4. Rephidim. No water to drink. Water 
brought from rock. 

5. Wilderness of Sinai. The law given. 

Nehemiah's Testimony. (Neh. 9: 13-15.) 

Nehemiah's order of the foregoing events is as 
follows : 

1. Giving of the "judgments." 

2. Giving of the Sabbath. 

3. Giving of the rest of the law. 

4. Giving of the manna. 

5. Bringing water from the rock. 

But Nehemiah did not attempt the order of 
events after the manner of their happening. 
This is self-evident. 

Nehemiah states that Jehovah, at this time, 
made known unto Israel the Sabbath. His state- 
ment is in keeping with what we have developed 
in the foregoing — namely, that the Sabbath was 
given for the first time in the wilderness. 

But we are told that "made known" is used 
here in a special sense. We are pointed to Ezek. 
39 : 7, where the Lord said he would make his 
name known in the midst of Israel. It is possi- 
ble, therefore, so we are told, to make a thing 
known that is already known. 

But in Ezek. 39 the prophet is speaking of 
Gog, leader of two Scythian tribes, Meshech and 



Adventism and the Bible. 119 

Tubal. It was to Gog that God was to make his 
name known, not to Israel. So, then, when Nehe- 
miah states that Jehovah came down in Sinai and 
made known his Sabbath unto the Jews, we must 
understand that Jehovah came down on Sinai and 
made known his Sabbath unto the Jews — 'nothing 
more or less. 

Horeb or Sinai? 

Adventists call attention to the fact that the 
Sabbath was already known to the Jews when 
they came to Sinai. This is cheerfully granted. 
They, therefore, contend that since Nehemiah 
states that God came down on Sinai and "made 
known" the Sabbath unto Israel, he must mean 
that he revealed it more fully to them. We grant 
that the argument seems plausible. 

But we take issue with the statement. Bear 
this in mind: Horeb is the name of a range of 
mountains; Sinai is the name of a single peak in 
this range. Horeb and Sinai are often used inter- 
changeably. 

Nehemiah says God came down on Sinai and 
gave them water to drink; but the water was 
given at Rephidim, long before they came to Si- 
nai. 

Nehemiah says God came down on Sinai and 
gave them manna; but the manna was given in 
the wilderness of Sin, even before they reached 
the Horeb range proper. 

Malachi says the law was given on Horeb 
(Mai. 4:4), which is true; but the law was given 
on Sinai, one of the Horeb peaks. 



120 Adventism and the Bible. 

When the Israelites came to break camp at Si- 
nai, the Lord spake unto Moses "in Horeb" and 
told him that they had better journey northward. 
(Deut. 1: 6.) 

It is thus made clear that when Nehemiah says 
God came down on Sinai and gave the Sabbath, 
the manna, and the water, he means somewhere 
in the Horeb range, which is historically true. 

We are left with the conclusion, therefore, that 
the Sabbath was first made known to Israel, given 
to them, in the wilderness of Sin, in Horeb, at Si- 
nai. 

The Sabbath Given to the Jews. 

Having established when and where the Sab- 
bath was given, the next step of greatest impor- 
tance is to determine the scope of its authority. 
To whom was it given? In consideration of this 
question the following facts are offered : 

I. The Sabbath was delivered unto the Jews. 

1. Neh. 9: 13-15. Sabbath made known unto 
Israel. 

2. Ezek. 20: 12. God "chose Israel" from 
among all the nations, "gave them his statutes," 
and "showed them" his judgments; and he said 
unto them: "I am the Lord your God." He had 
absolutely nothing to say to "the heathen, among 
whom they were." 

3. Ex. 31: 12-17. Jehovah addressed himself 
unto "the children of Israel," never to any other 
nation or people; and he repeated often to Israel 
that the Sabbath was "a sign" between himself, 



Adventism and the Bible. 121 

on the one hand, and themselves, on the other, 
and that it was to remain a sign throughout their 
generations. In this he had nothing to say about 
the heathen nations. 

4. Ezek. 36: 21-27. Here Jehovah distin- 
guishes between the "heathen" and "the house of 
Israel." 

5. Deut. 5: 15. The Sabbath was given as a 
commemoration of the deliverance of the Hebrew 
nation from Egypt. 

II. The heathen are particularly excluded from 
God's benefits. 

1. Ezek. 20: 9. The prophet speaks lightly of 
the heathen. 

2. Rom. 2 : 14. The Gentiles had not the law. 

3. Eph. 3: 11-19. The Gentiles were aliens, 
strangers, without hope and without God. 

Surely, then, the Sabbath was not given to this 
unfortunate people. No; it was the sole posses- 
sion of Israel. 

The Foundation of the Sabbath. 

1. First stone — Creation. 

2. Second stone — Exodus. 

Creation is the reason why the seventh day 
should be chosen — because the work of creation 
was completed on that day. The exodus is the 
sole and only reason why this day should be given 
to Israel. Had there been no creation, there 
would have been no seventh day; or had there 
been no exodus, this day would not have been 



122 Adventism and the Bible. 

given to Israel. Creation gave the seventh day, 
and the exodus gave the Hebrew nation. The 
two events, taken together, constitute the foun- 
dation of the Sabbath institution. 

Ex. 20: 8-11 — Creation stone. 

Deut. 5 : 15 — Exodus stone. 

The Sabbath a "Sign" to Israel. 

Ex. 31: 13-17: "Speak thou also unto the chil- 
dren of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye 
shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you 
throughout your generations; that ye may know 
that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. . . . 
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the 
Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their 
generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a 
sign between me and the children of Israel for- 
ever." 

Thus it is so stated. The Sabbath was (and 
still is) a sign between God and the Jews ; and if 
language has any meaning, it is a sign between 
God and no other nation or people. Any chosen 
thing, in order that it may be a sign, must ob- 
viously be the exclusive property of the one to 
whom it is a sign. 

The following are a few of the many signs one 
finds in scanning through the Bible : 

1. The harlot, Rahab, hung out a red string, a 
sign of her crib. (Josh. 2.) 

2. The man carrying the pitcher of water, a 



Adventism and the Bible. 123 

sign of the place where the room for the last sup- 
per was to be selected. (Luke 22 : 101) 

3. An ass and the foal. (Matt. 21: 2.) 

4. Judas kissing the Lord. (Matt. 26: 47, 48.) 

5. Circumcision, sign of the covenant. (Rom. 
4: 11.) 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Christ's Attitude Toward the Sabbath. 



No one denies that our Lord kept the Sabbath. 
He kept the passover and every other service of 
the law. Regarding his attitude toward the Sab- 
bath, consider the following : 

1. It was his custom to teach in the synagogue 
at Nazareth on the Sabbath. (Luke 4:,, 16.) 

2. At Capernaum "he taught in the synagogue" 
on the Sabbath days. (Luke 4: 30.) 

3. He healed a man with a withered hand on 
the Sabbath. (Matt. 12: 9-14.) 

4. On the Sabbath he cured the impotent man. 
(John 5: 1-18.) 

5. At another time he taught in the synagogue 
on the Sabbath. (Mark 6 : 1-6.) 

6. On the Sabbath day the blind man received 
his sight. (John 9: 1-16.) 

7. The woman with a spirit of infirmity was 
made whole on the Sabbath. (Luke 13: 10-17.) 

8. The leprous man was cured on the Sabbath. 
(Luke 14: 1-6.) 

9. Jesus and his apostles went through the 
cornfields on the Sabbath day. (Matt. 12: 1-8.) 

10. Christ stated that the Sabbath was made 
for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2: 
27.) 

11. He instructed his disciples to pray that 



Adventism and the Bible. 125 

their flight from Jerusalem might not be on the 
Sabbath nor in the winter, when the city should 
be besieged by the Romans. (Matt. 24: 15-21.) 

12. He taught regarding mercy versus circum- 
cision on the Sabbath. (John 7: 21.) 

The Winter Made Sacred. 

"But pray that your flight be not in the winter, 
neither on the Sabbath day." (Matt. 24: 21.) 

Jesus is here foretelling the certain destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem. This happened A.D. 70. He 
knew the gates would be closed on the Sabbath. 
He knew it would be impossible to get out of the 
city on the Sabbath day, should the Romans 
choose the Sabbath day as the day when they 
were to lay siege to the holy place. It would 
mean certain death to be penned in on the Sab- 
bath. They were to pray, therefore, that the 
siege might come on one of the other days. 

He knew the winter would be severe. It would 
mean death by exposure should they be compelled 
to make their flight from the stricken city in the 
winter. Their prayers were that they might es- 
cape these two dilemmas. 

The Advent position relative to this passage is 
absurd. They contend that Jesus seeks to regard 
the sacredness of the Sabbath as far down as 
A.D. 70. His disciples were to pray that they 
would not be compelled to desecrate the Sabbath 
by fleeing for their lives on that day ! 

f WHAT ABOUT THE WINTER? WAS 1 
1 THE WINTER SACRED ALSO? J 



126 Adventism and the Bible. 

Christ Lord of the Sabbath. 

"Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the 
Sabbath." (Mark 2: 28.) 

In this he declares himself to be greater than 
the Sabbath. "The Sabbath was made for man." 
From this we must understand that the Sabbath 
is inferier to man. The Sabbath is a tool in the 
hands of man — for his service. Man, therefore, 
is not the slave of the Sabbath. But Adventists 
are slaves to the Sabbath. 

Christ Greater Than the Sabbath. 

"But I say unto you, That in this place is one 
greater than the temple." .(Matt. 12: 6.) 

The most sacred thing in the Jewish economy 
was the temple. They made their oaths by the 
temple. The temple was greater than the Sab- 
bath, just as the whole of anything is as great as 
all its parts and greater than either one of its 
parts. The Sabbath was a part of the temple 
service. But here our Lord asserts that he is 
greater than the temple; hence, greater than ei- 
ther one or any combination of its parts. 

That Christ kept the Sabbath is to be expected. 
Why should he not keep it? He likewise kept the 
passover; he observed circumcision; he kept all 
the feasts and all the services of the old order. 
He lived in perfect obedience to a system which 
he came to abolish. If his example in keeping the 
Sabbath should require us to keep it, what about 
the passover, circumcision, and all the feasts? 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



The Sabbath in the Days of the Apostles. 



The Levitical dispensation was, in many ways, 
directly typical of the Christian dispensation. 
The theme of the letter to the Hebrews amply 
confirms this statement. 

Israel's history dates from the night of the ex- 
odus; but the law was not given until fifty days 
afterwards. Legally and essentially speaking, 
therefore, the Levitical dispensation dates no fur- 
ther back than the giving of the law. 

The parallel between the two dispensations is 
this: The Christian dispensation may have be- 
gun with the cross ; but the Christian law was not 
given until Pentecost, fifty days after the cross. 
Legally and essentially speaking, therefore, the 
Christian dispensation dates no further back than 
Pentecost. 

Ceremonies and rites in effect before Pentecost 
are not necessarily binding now; but laws given 
and examples offered this side of Pentecost should 
arouse our inquiry and interest and enlist our 
support. 

Adventists, while admitting that we find no law 
in the new covenant enjoining the observance of 
the Sabbath, contend that we do find numerous 
examples of its having been kept by Christians; 
and they insist, on perfectly good grounds, that 
we should seek to follow inspired examples. 



128 Adventism and the Bible. 

But, before going further, let us understand a 
very essential point : 

THERE IS AN ESSENTIAL DIFFER- 
ENCE BETWEEN AN ACT OF AN APOS- 
TLE WHICH IS INTENDED TO BE AN 
INSPIRED EXAMPLE AND AN ACT OF AN 
APOSTLE WHICH IS INTENDED TO BE 
NOTHING MORE THAN AN ACT OF EX- 
PEDIENCY. 

We should seek, therefore, not to confuse the 
two. Thus when Paul remains at Troas to take 
the communion with "disciples" and when he 
circumcises Timothy so as not to arouse the 
prejudice of the Jews in having Timothy accom- 
pany him — these acts, all doubtless agree, should 
be viewed from different angles. 

Acts of Concession. 

Paul was a man of tact. He did many things 
at certain times and under particular circum- 
stances which he himself preached against. Evi- 
dently every Bible reader knows he often kept 
the feasts when with Jews; yet he preached to 
these very Jews that the feasts had lost their 
meaning. The following are among his conces- 
sions in this respect : 

1. Shaved his head. (Acts 18: 18.) 

2. Circumcised Timothy. (Acts 16: 3.) 

3. Observed purification. (Acts 21: 23.) 

4. To the Jew he was a Jew. (1 Cor. 9: 9.) 
Here, then, are unmistakable acts of an in- 
spired apostle. Shall we conclude, therefore, 



Adventism and the Bible. 129 

that they are examples to Christians? Evidently 
not. Paul had no faith in vows, purification, 
shaving of heads, and all that kind of stuff. 
When with Jews, he was a Jew. 

But it cannot be said of him that when he was 
with Gentiles he was a Gentile. The Gentiles 
were heathen, and he gave order to the Corinthi- 
ans not to partake with the heathen of their 
feasts. (1 Cor. 8.) This, of course, he himself 
would not do. The difference lies in the simple 
fact that all the observances of the Jews — all the 
law : the civil, religious, and ceremonial — were in 
themselves moral, while the heathen feasts were 
held in honor of one or more of their gods. 

We should see in this that Paul was particular 
to distinguish between mere matters of expe- 
diency and courtesy and the weightier matters of 
principle. While Paul often compromised, he 
never surrendered. 

We are told by Adventists that Paul often ob- 
served the Sabbath and taught his converts to 
do so. There are five instances in the New Tes- 
tament where Paul and the Sabbath come to- 
gether, and it is but fair that we should give 
careful attention to these instances. They are as 
follows : 

1. At Antioch, in Pisidia. (Acts 13: 14.) 

2. At Antioch, in Pisidia. (Acts 13: 42-44.) 

3. At Philippi, in Macedonia. (Acts 16: 12- 
14.) 

4. At Thessalonica, in Greece. (Acts 17: 1-4.) 

5. At Corinth, in Greece. (Acts 18: 3, 4.) 

9 



130 Adventism and the Bible. 

This is the list complete. Not so many, to be 
sure; but if we shall find that Paul observed the 
Sabbath at either one of these places, the con- 
tention of the Adventists will prove to be true. 
Let us consider them separately : 

1. At Antioch, in Pisidia. — Paul and Barnabas, 
on their first missionary tour, "passing through 
from Perga," went to Antioch, in Pisidia. "And 
they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath 
day." After the regular Sabbath service which 
the Jews were holding when the two strange gen- 
tlemen arrived, Paul and Barnabas were met by 
the Jewish leaders and asked if they had any- 
thing they wished to say to the congregation. 
They had, of course. Paul preached — to these 
Jews whom he found congregated for worship in 
their synagogue when he and Barnabas arrived. 
The Jews seemed pleased, and asked that he 
would preach for them again the next Sabbath. 
He agreed to do so, and the following Sabbath 
the Gentiles were invited to attend the services 
also. Thus it is clear that the Gentiles of An- 
tioch, in Pisidia, came to a Jewish synagogue to 
hear a strange missionary preach a gospel ser- 
mon. 

WHEN PAUL BEGAN PREACHING TO 
THIS AUDIENCE OF JEWS AND GEN- 
TILES ON THIS SECOND SABBATH, HE 
AND BARNABAS WERE THE ONLY 
CHRISTIANS, NOT ONLY IN THE SYN- 
AGOGUE, BUT ALSO IN ANTIOCH; AND 
THEY WERE THE FIRST CHRISTIANS 
THAT HAD EVER BEEN IN ANTIOCH. 



Adventism and the Bible. 131 

Now for a few questions. Why did Paul and 
Barnabas go to this synagogue — a Jewish place 
of worship ? The answer is : Because they knew 
they would find a sympathetic audience there. 
They were both Jews. Why did they go on the 
Sabbath? Because they knew they would find 
the Jews at worship. An Adventist will foolishly 
ask: "But why did not these missionaries go to 
the synagogue on Sunday if they kept Sunday?" 
I answer : Why did not these missionaries set the 
Lord's table and invite their Jewish brethren to 
partake with them? They did not offer the com- 
munion. We must be sensible in matters of this 
kind. 

2. At Antioch, in Pisidia. — The second meet- 
ing, the next Sabbath, was held in the same "syn- 
agogue"— the same Jewish place of worship. 
There was not a Christian present until a Jew or 
a Gentile was converted by Paul's preaching — 
not one present except Paul and Barnabas. Yet 
0. A. Johnson, author of "The Bible Textbook" 
and some other textbooks on Bible subjects, af- 
firms that Paul preached here in Antioch, of 
Pisidia, in a "Christian church!" (We will con- 
sider Johnson's contentions at the close of this 
chapter.) 

3. At Philippi, in Macedonia. — Paul, with a 
company of missionaries, crossed over into Mace- 
donia from Asia Minor. On the Sabbath he and 
his company went out to the river's edge where 
there was a prayer meeting, attended, for the 
most part, it seems, by women. That these were 



132 Adventism and the Bible. 

Jewish women admits of no questions. Philippi 
was not a Jewish city, but Roman. But there 
were a few Jews living in this Roman city, and 
these few were strict observers of the ceremonies 
of the Levitical order. There had been no Chris- 
tians in Philippi, so far as we know, up to this 
time. Lydia, in all probability, was the leader of 
this little band of Jews. Paul, as at Antioch, in 
Pisidia, preached the gospel to these lonely Jew- 
ish women who were far away from the land of 
their nativity. Lydia was converted and became 
a Christian. 

4. At Thessalonica, in Greece. — Here, again, 
"was a synagogue of the Jews." There was no 
Christian church in Thessalonica, nor a Christian 
when Paul and his company arrived. The pas- 
sage states that Paul, "as his custom was/' went 
into this synagogue and taught the people — 
taught the Jews who worshiped there — just as he 
had done at Antioch, in Pisidia. 

5. At Corinth, in Greece. — Paul came to Cor- 
inth from Thessalonica alone. Here he found a 
"certain Jew named Aquila with his wife Pris- 
cilla." Paul lodged with Aquila and Priscilla, 
and he went with them to their services held in 
their synagogue on the Sabbath. Furthermore, 
"he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath." 
Both "Jews and Greeks" attended these services 
in the synagogues, for many Greeks had become 
proselytes of the Jewish faith. On Forty-Third 
and Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, is a big Jew- 
ish temple which holds regular Sunday services, 



Adventism and the Bible. 133 

and the sermon is delivered in English ! This is 
so of all large cities in this country. • Jews swept 
into the very vortex of the Christian faith by the 
force of surrounding conditions ! But this is a 
wheel within a wheel; for many Gentiles, living 
in the radius of the influence of this Jewish tem- 
ple in Chicago, or such temples everywhere, are 
regular attendants at these Sunday services of 
the Jews. After this fashion, therefore, Gen- 
tiles who lived in the neighborhood of this Jew- 
ish synagogue in Corinth attended the services 
on the Sabbath, whether they were proselytes of 
the Jewish religion or not. Paul regularly "rea- 
soned in the synagogue every Sabbath,'' persuad- 
ing these Jews and Greeks. Among the Gentiles 
who attended this synagogue was a man by the 
name of "Titus Justus," who was not a Greek, 
but a Roman. Titus Justus believed — the first 
convert, beyond doubt, to the Christian faith in 
Corinth. Then opposition to Paul arose. Luke 
does not tell us that Aquila and Priscilla did not 
become converts at this time, but he does tell us 
that Paul left them and went to live with Titus 
Justus. 

The conversion of Titus Justus marks Paul's 
break with the synagogue worship in Corinth. 
From this time on he preached no more in the 
synagogue, though he remained in Corinth "a 
year and six months." It is, doubtless, to be un- 
derstood that he did his preaching in the house 
of Titus Justus. 



134 Adventism and the Bible. 

Observations. 
Such, then, is the array of passages in the New 
Testament that connects Paul and the Sabbath. 
Nowhere do we find a passage that even intimates 
that Paul kept the Sabbath ; nowhere do we find a 
passage that states that he preached to Chris- 
tians on the Sabbath. 

r I CHALLENGE ANY ONE TO FIND-| 
J THE PASSAGE THAT STATES THAT I 
I PAUL KEPT THE SABBATH OR TAUGHT f 

i any one else to do so. j 

Advent Contentions. 

Seventh-Day Adventists teach and preach ev- 
erywhere that Paul found Christians keeping the 
Sabbath wherever he went, and that he kept the 
Sabbath with them. They teach that he preached 
to Christians in Christian churches on the Sab- 
bath. They base such contention wholly on the 
five passages we have just considered. 

I quote the following from Prof. 0. A. John- 
son's textbook, "Bible Doctrines/' referred to in 
the foregoing. This is from the revised edition, 
published August 9, 1911. I quote Lesson XLIL, 
page 68: 

"3. The church in Antioch, in Pisidia, which was raised 
up by Paul and was composed largely of Gentiles, kept 
the Sabbath. (Acts 13: 43, 44.) 

"4. Paul advised these Christians to continue in grace; 
hence these Gentile Sabbath keepers were under grace. 
(Acts 13: 43, 44.) 

"5. At the council of the apostles and elders at Jeru- 
salem, A.D. 51, we learn that the converted Gentiles held 



Adventism and the Bible. 135 

their regular meetings on the Sabbath. (Acts 15: 19, 
21.) ... 

"8. The church raised up at Thessalonica held their 
meetings on the Sabbath. (Acts 17: 1, 2.) 

"9. The church at Corinth, Greece, kept the Sabbath. 
(Acts 18: 1-4, 11.) . . . 

"11. Since the early Christian churches after Christ's 
ascension kept the Sabbath, it follows that they regarded 
it binding upon them; and hence it is equally binding now 
upon Christians." 

Professor Johnson contends that the "con- 
verted Gentiles held their regular meetings on 
the Sabbath." He states that we learn this from 
the fifteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. 
Let us look into this. 

Acts 15: 21: "For Moses from generations of 
old hath in every city them that preach him, be- 
ing read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 

This passage, says Johnson, is evidence that 
"converted Gentiles held their regular meetings 
on the Sabbath." To speak foolishly, in all prob- 
ability these "converted Gentiles," per the word- 
ing of the passage, had been holding their meet- 
ings on the Sabbath "from generations of old." 
This is what the passage says. This was A.D. 51, 
so Johnson confesses — just eighteen years after 
the Lord had ascended. Yet "from generations 
of old" these Gentile converts of the Lord had 
been holding their meetings on the Sabbaths ! 
There is generally sufficient evidence in every pas- 
sage to overthrow any false theory that might be 
built up regarding it, but this passage seems to 
have a double supply. 



136 Adventism and the Bible. 

Notice No. "3." Johnson says "the church" at 
Antioch ; the text says "the synagogue." Who is 
right? Johnson says Paul went into "a church" 
at Antioch "which was raised up by Paul." This 
was Paul's first visit to Antioch. Yet, contends 
Johnson, and Adventism through him, when Paul 
arrived in Antioch he found "a church" there 
which he himself had raised up ! Some quick 
missionary work ! 

Notice No. "8." Another "church" which, 
doubtless, had been raised up by Paul before he 
visited Thessalonica ; and they also "held their 
meetings on the Sabbath." But the text declares 
in plain English that this supposed church was 
"a synagogue of the Jews." (Acts 17: 1, 2.) 
In every passage we find "synagogue of the Jews," 
and every time Adventists read "Christian 
church." Why will they do this ? 

Notice No. "9." Here, again, according to Mr. 
Johnson, it is "a church" that Paul found at Cor- 
inth. But the record says plainly "a synagogue." 

These are the passages on which Adventists 
base their claims that the Sabbath was kept by 
apostolic Christians. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



The Sabbath Abolished. 



Adventists make a prolonged effort to show a 
real distinction between the weekly Sabbath and 
what they term the "annual Sabbaths." It is 
their contention that the weekly Sabbath was of 
more importance in the Mosaic law than the an- 
nual Sabbaths. This becomes necessary because 
of the very simple fact, as they will readily admit, 
the New Testament offers no apology in stating 
clearly that there were some Sabbaths that were 
done away. 

Adventists would tell us that there were seven 
annual Sabbaths in the old order ; and J. N. An- 
drews, in his "History of the Sabbath," names 
them as follows : 

1. First day of unleavened bread. (Lev. 23 : 
5-7.) "Holy convocation." 

2. Seventh day of unleavened bread. (Ex. 16: 
15, 16.) "Holy convocation." 

3. Pentecost. (Lev. 23: 21.) "Holy convoca- 
tion." 

4. First day of the seventh month. (Lev. 23 : 
24, 35.) "A Sabbath." 

5. The day of atonement. (Lev. 23: 27, 32.) 
"A Sabbath of rest." 

6. The fifteenth day of the seventh month. 
(Lev. 23: 39.) "A Sabbath." 



138 Adventism and the Bible. 

7. The twenty-first day of the seventh month. 
(Lev. 23: 39.) "A Sabbath." 

We ask the reader to count the "Sabbaths" in 
this list. Four ! Three of the supposed Sabbaths 
are nothing more nor less than "convocations." 
These are the words that are used in the English 
versions. 

Consider the following terms : 

1. "Holy convocation." Greek: hagia, "holy;" 
klaataa, "convocation." 

2. "Rest;" "cessation." Greek: anapausis. 

3. "Sabbath." Greek: Sabbata. 

Turning to the Septuagint, from which our 
English versions are translated, we find the 
words that are used in this list of supposed seven 
Sabbaths to be the following : 

1. Klaataa hagia: "holy convocation." 
3. Klaataa hagia: "holy convocation." 

3. Klaataa hagia: "holy convocation." 

4. Anapausis: "rest, refreshment." 

5. Sabbata: "Sabbath," a holy day. 

6. Anapausis: "rest, refreshment." 

7. Anapausis: "rest, refreshment." 

Thus three of the supposed annual Sabbaths 
turn out to be anapausis — "rest, refreshment." 
There is nothing holy about an anapausis. An 
anapausis was a national holiday, corresponding 
to George 'Washington's birthday or to our 
Thanksgiving. Any kind of cessation from la- 
bor, with the Jew, was an anapausis. Three of 
the remaining four are seen to be klaataa hagia— 
"holy convocations." A "holy convocation" was 



Adventism and the Bible. 



139 



merely a coming together for some kind of reli- 
gious service. The service was ho-ly, but not the 
day on which the convocation took place. Thus 
the feast of ingathering, held in the fall of the 
year, was a holy convocation, but the day on 
which it was held was not a Sabbath. 

Fortunately for the Adventists, one of the 
seven was actually a Sabbath day — the day of 
atonement. 

f INSTEAD OF THERE BEING SEVEN] 
-{ ANNUAL SABBATHS, THERE WAS BUT [ 
LONE— THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. J 

FEASTS AND SABBATHS DISTINGUISHED. 

There were, indeed, seven annual feasts. Three 
of the seven were holy convocations, three were 
anapausis, and one was a Sabbath. The follow- 
ing diagram may serve to aid the understanding : 

THE SEVEN ANNUAL FEASTS. 
(Lev. 23.) 



Convocations 



Cessations 



Sabbaths 



First Day of Unleavened Bread 
Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread 
Pentecost 



First Day of the Seventh Month 
Fifteenth Day of the Seventh Month 
Twenty-First Day of the Seventh Month 



THE 



DAY 



OF 



ATONEMENT 



140 Adventism and the Bible. 

Thus all seven are seen to have been feasts; 
all seven were convocations ; only three reach the 
"cessation" or rest column; and only one was a 
"Sabbath !" 

Lev. 23 : 4 reads : "These are the feasts of the 
Lord, even holy convocations." They were all 
feasts and all convocations ; but they were not all 
Sabbaths. Only one was a Sabbath. Adventists 
make their mistake in assuming that all these 
feasts were Sabbaths merely because they were 
declared to be rest days. Such a position is far 
from the mark. 

A Set Order of Service. 

In Num. 28 : 1-31 we find a set order of service 
to be followed during the year. There was a 
daily service (verse 3), a weekly service (verse 
9), a monthly service (verse 11), and an annual 
service (verses 16, 26). We find this set order 
of service referred to in the Old Testament a 
number of times and in the New Testament at 
least once — thus: 

1. 1 Chron. 23: 30, 31. Morning and evening, 
Sabbaths, new moons, and set feasts. 

2. 2 Chron. 2 : 4. Morning and evening, Sab- 
baths, new moons, and set feasts. 

3. 2 Chron. 8: 13. Every day, Sabbaths, new 
moons, and set feasts. 

4. 2 Chron. 31 : 3. Morning and evening, Sab- 
baths, new moons, and set feasts. 

5. Neh. 10: 33. Continual, Sabbaths, new 
moons, and set feasts. 



Adventism and the Bible. 141 

6. Isa. 1 : 13. New moon, Sabbath, appointed 
feasts. 

7. Ezek. 45 : 7. Feasts, new moons, Sabbaths, 
appointed feasts. 

8. Hos. 2: 11. Feasts, new moons, Sabbaths. 
(Here the order is reversed.) 

9. Col. 2: 14-16. Feast day, new moon, Sab- 
baths. (Here also, as in Hos. 2: 11, the order is 
reversed.) 

That Paul, in Col. 2: 14-16, refers to this set 
order of service, cannot be disputed, once his ref- 
erence is seen in connection with this catalogue 
of passages that undisputedly refer to the same 
thing; and Paul here affirms that the Sabbaths, 
all the Sabbaths, passed away. The King James 
Version has "Sabbath days" and the Revised Ver- 
sion has "a Sabbath" in Col. 2: 14-16. 

Adventists make an effort — a very prolonged 
effort, I might say — to avoid Paul's clear-cut 
statement here. Reasoning from their point of 
view, their explanation of the passage is satisfac- 
tory — at least to themselves. But, after all they 
are able to do with Col. 2 : 14-16, this passage re- 
mains their greatest obstacle on the question of 
the passing away of the Sabbath, from the New 
Testament view of the Sabbath question. They 
risk all on the plurality of Sabbaths, Sabbath 
"days," as given in the King James Version. They 
contend that the weekly Sabbath is nowhere in 
all the Bible spoken of in the plural. They point 
to "Sabbath days" of this passage as proof that 
Paul was speaking of the annual Sabbaths. We 



142 Adventism and the Bible. 

grant them a semblance of show in their premise, 
and shall proceed to consider their logic. 

The First Count. — Contrary to their premise 
that the weekly Sabbath is not spoken of in the 
plural in the Bible, we find that it is in the fol- 
lowing passages : 

1. Ex. 31: 13. "My Sabbaths." 

2. Lev. 19 : 3. "My Sabbaths." 

3. Lev. 23 : 38. "The Sabbaths of Jehovah." 

4. Isa. 56 : 2, 4. "My Sabbaths." 

5. Ex. 20: 12. "My Sabbaths." 

Here, then, are five passages that declare, in un- 
mistakable terms, that the Sabbath — the weekly 
Sabbath — is commonly referred to in the Bible in 
the plural— "Sabbaths." 

The Second Count. — According to their prem- 
ise, the "days" of Col. 2: 14-16 proves beyond a 
doubt that Paul was speaking of the annual Sab- 
baths, not the weekly Sabbath; for, per the con- 
tention, the weekly Sabbath is nowhere in all the 
Bible referred to after this fashion. We shall, 
therefore, make an honest effort to investigate 
the truth of this contention. Accordingly, we 
find that the expression "Sabbath days" is used 
in the following passages with reference to the 
weekly Sabbath: 

1. Matt. 12: 5. "The Sabbath d-a-y-s." 

2. Matt. 12 : 10. "The Sabbath d-a-y-s." 

3. Luke 4: 31. "The Sabbath d-a-y-s." 

4. Acts 17 : 2. "The Sabbath d-a-y-s." 

5. Col. 2: 14-16. "The Sabbath D-A-Y-S." 



Adventism and the Bible. 143 

ADVENTISTS CHEERFULLY ADMIT 1 
THAT SABBATH "DAYS" IN THE FIRST 
FOUR OF THE ABOVE PASSAGES RE- 
FERS TO THE WEEKLY SABBATH. 
WHY, THEREFORE, WE ASK, DOES NOT 
THE SAME EXPRESSION IN THE FIFTH 
PASSAGE HAVE REFERENCE TO THE 
SAME THING? 

The Third Count. — Per the premise, the fact 
that Paul here speaks of the "Sabbath days" in 
connection with certain admitted feasts, annual 
feasts, it is contended that he must have refer- 
ence to the annual Sabbaths, which, the Advent- 
ists admit, passed away. We shall consider this 
contention. Consider the passage : 

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in 
drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new 
moon, or of the Sabbath days." (Col. 2: 16.) 

Paul here, all admit, speaks of (1) meat offer- 
ings, (2) drink offerings, (3) feast days, (4) 
new moons — the first day of each month, which 
was a holiday — and (5) Sabbaths of some kind. 
Adventists contend that the "Sabbaths" of this 
passage are the seven ( ? ) annual Sabbaths 
listed at the beginning of this chapter. We ob- 
ject to this view, for this very obvious reason: 
All other possible Sabbaths than the weekly Sab- 
baths are provided for in the expression, "an 
holy day," which is No. 3 listed herewith. In the 
Greek New Testament the expression, "an holy 
day," is heortaa, and is the regular word for all 
kinds of feasts. Adventists readily admit that 
their so-called "annual Sabbaths" were all feasts. 



144 Adventism and the Bible. 

For this reason the proverbial "blind man" could 
see that Paul spoke of the annual Sabbaths when 
he used the term heortaa — "an holy day." Since, 
therefore, aside from the annual Sabbaths, there 
were no other Sabbaths except the weekly Sab- 
bath, it is conclusive that Paul referred to no 
other than the weekly Sabbath. 

The Fourth Count. — The word "Sabbath," as it 
is used in the Septuagint, also as it is used in the 
Greek New Testament, has a regular form. For 
instance, the genitive (possessive) plural of 
"Sabbath," in the Greek, is sabbatoon, or, to get 
the pronunciation more correctly, sabba-tone, 
the accent on the final syllable. The word "Sab- 
bath," nominative singular, in the Greek, is sab- 
bata. It would seem that this would be the form 
used in commonly speaking of the Sabbath. But 
not so. The genitive plural, sabbatoon, is inva- 
riably used. Literally translated, of course, the 
possessive plural of "Sabbath" is "of the Sab- 
baths." In John 20: 1, where we read that the 
women came unto the sepulcher in the end of the 
Sabbath, the New Testament Greek has it in the 
end of the sabbatoon — "of the Sabbaths." But 
the meaning is in the end of the Sabbath — singu- 
lar. Likewise in Ex. 20: 8 (in the Decalogue) 
the expression is sabbatoon — "of the Sabbaths." 
But it is the equivalent of "Sabbath day." Thus 
we see that sabbatoon is invariably used for 
"Sabbath." It is this expression which Paul uses 
in Col. 2: 14-16: "Let no man therefore judge 
you with respect to the sabbatoon." The follow- 



Adventism and the Bible. 145 

ing list may serve to show how the word is used 
in familiar passages in the Old Testament: 

Ex. 20: 8: "Remember the day of the sabba- 
toon." 

Lev. 23: 38: "Beside the sabbatoon of the 
Lord." 

Lev. 24: 8: "Every sabbatoon he shall eat it." 

Num. 15 : 32 : "Gather sticks on the day of the 
sabbatoon." 

Num. 28: 9: "And on the day of the sabba- 
toon." 

Isa. 58 : 13 : "If thou turn away thy foot from 
the sabbatoon." 

Matt. 28 : 1 : "In the end of the sabbatoon" 

Luke 4 : 16 : "He went into the synagogue on 
the sabbatoon." 

Acts 13: 14: "Went into the synagogue on the 
sabbatoon." 

Col. 2 : 16 : "Let no man therefore judge you in 
respect of . . . the sabbatoon." 

There is but one word in all the Bible, in the 
Greek, which, when translated, means "holy Sab- 
bath of rest," and that word is sabbata; and the 
genitive (nominative) plural of that word is sab- 
batoon." In every passage in the Bible where the 
nominative (genitive) plural of the weekly 
Sabbath is spoken of the word that is used is 
sabbatoon. In Col. 2 : 16 Paul uses the word 
sabbatoon. Nowhere in all the Bible is a feast 
day referred to by the word sabbatoon. Hence, 
in the fourth count, Col. 2: 14-16 means the 
weekly Sabbath. 

10 



146 



Adventism and the Bible. 



The Fifth Count. — We offer the following dia- 
gram of "the set order" referred to in the first 
part of this chapter. We can see no just reason 



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why this diagram should not be conclusive proof 
that Paul, in Col. 2: 14-16, was speaking of the 
weekly Sabbath, and of the weekly Sabbath only. 



Adventism and the Bible. 147 

Thus it is that Paul teaches the abolition of the 
Sabbath, just as he teaches the abolition of all 
feasts. There were weekly Sabbaths, one an- 
nual Sabbath, a seven-year Sabbath, and a fif- 
tieth-year Sabbath, the jubilee. "Sabbaths," in 
the foregoing diagram, includes all possible Sab- 
baths — weekly, annual, seven-year, and fiftieth- 
year. Therefore, according to Paul, every known 
Sabbath passed away. 



CHAPTER XX. 



"On the Morrow After the Sabbath." 



In the scheme of redemption, which was 
planned in Christ "before the world began" (2 
Tim. 1:8; John 17 : 5) , there was set apart for a 
holy use the day on which Christ should come 
forth from the dead. This, among other things, 
"in other generations" was "hid in God," but 
"hath now been revealed" by both prophets and 
apostles. (Eph. 3: 5, 9.) 

The Harvest of First Fruits. 

Nearly fifteen hundred years before the birth 
of Christ, God gave to Moses definite instructions 
concerning the "first fruits" which was to be 
offered unto the Lord after Israel should come 
into the land of promise. A "sheaf" of the first 
fruits of their harvest, annually, was to be 
brought unto the priest, and the priest was to 
wave the sheaf to be accepted for them "on the 
morrow after the Sabbath" of the passover week. 
(Lev. 23: 9, 11.) Regarding the different kinds 
of first fruits that were to be offered, we note the 
following : 

Num. 18 : 12. The first of the grain. 

Ex. 22 : 29. The first of the wine. 



Adventism and the Bible. 149 

Num. 18 : 12. The first of the oil. 

Num. 28 : 26. The first of the meal. 

The formal dedication of these offerings is 
found in Deut. 26: 1-11. 

Time When Offered. — The first fruits was of- 
fered on the fiftieth day after the passover, also 
on the morrow after the passover Sabbath. The 
fiftieth day after the passover Sabbath was 
"Pentecost," the feast of Pentecost — pentekosta, 
"fiftieth." 

The passover was celebrated on the fourteenth 
day of the first month, which was Nisan, begin- 
ning at eventide and continuing until sundown 
the next day. (Ex. 12 : 2-6, 18.) The time when 
the passover was celebrated did not vary, any 
more than the time when Christmas is celebrated 
varies. But the Sabbath of the passover week 
varied just as the day on which Christmas hap- 
pens to come varies. Thus fifty days from "the 
morrow after the Sabbath" of the passover week 
brings us just one day past seven complete weeks. 
And this is the instruction found in Lev. 23 : 15, 
16 ; Ex. 34 : 22 ; Deut. 16 : 9-12. "Seven Sabbaths 
shall be complete: even unto the morrow after 
the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days." 

The first fruits was offered twice — namely, (1) 
on the morrow after the Sabbath of the passover 
week (Lev. 23: 11), and (2) on the fiftieth day 
after the Sabbath of the passover week — Pente- 
cost (Lev. 23: 15, 16). 

The Day of Pentecost. — I shall show that the 



150 Adventism and the Bible. 

fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the passover 
week invariably was the first day of the week. 

LEV. 23: 11: "ON THE MORROW 
AFTER THE SABBATH." THIS, EVI- 
DENTLY, ALWAYS FELL ON THE FIRST 
DAY OF THE WEEK; FOR THE MOR- 
ROW AFTER THE SABBATH IS THE 
^ FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK. 

Now, beginning with this "morrow after the 
Sabbath," we are to number "seven Sabbaths 
complete" (Lev. 23: 15, 16) — that is, seven 
weeks, plus one day, the next day after the sev- 
enth complete week. Every week, of course, ends 
with the Sabbath, the seventh day; and the next 
day after this last day of the week is the first day 
of the next week, and that is the first day of the 
week ! This is obvious enough. Pentecost, there- 
fore, invariably fell on the first day of the week. 
Perhaps the following diagram may aid the un- 
derstanding : 

LEV. 23: 15, 16. 
Passover First Day 

Sabbath Sunday 

7th— 1234567-1234657-123456-7-1234567-1234567-1234567-1234567— 1st 

Count the Sabbaths: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7— "seven 
Sabbaths complete." Count the days: 7-14-21- 
28-35-42-49 — fifty — seven weeks complete, plus 
one day. Thus Pentecost always fell on the first 
day of the week. 

Meaning of the First Fruits. — The first fruits 
was a type of the resurrected Christ. (1 Cor. 
15: 20.) "But now hath Christ been raised for 
us, the first fruits of them that are asleep." For 



Adventism and the Bible. 151 

fifteen hundred years the first fruits was an an- 
nual representation of our Lord resurrected. 
This offering, as we have seen, always was waved 
before the Lord on the next day after the Sab- 
bath. This is the day on which he came forth 
from the dead. 

IF THE FIRST FRUITS WAS A TYPE 1 
OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST, OF 
WHAT WAS THE "MORROW AFTER THE 
SABBATH," THE DAY ON WHICH IT 
ALWAYS FELL, A TYPE? 

"On the First Day of the Week." 

Why did our Lord come forth from the dead 
on the first day of the week? Adventists do 
not take time to answer this question. Indeed, it 
it is a question whether or not they ever catch 
the real meaning of it. The Sabbath, with them, 
is everything. But certain it is, there was a rea- 
son for our Lord's coming from the dead on the 
first day of the week. We are told that it was a 
mere "happen so;" that he had to come forth 
from the dead on one of the days, and that the 
first would serve the purpose as well as either of 
the others. But, seriously, shall we dispose of so 
important a matter in such a trivial manner? 
That is the question. Does God perform his 
deeds after a hit-or-miss fashion, or does he do 
them according to design? 

The careful reader will be able, if he is in tune 
with the narrative, to catch a wonderfully live 
strain that runs through the Gospels in his peru- 



152 Adventism and the Bible. 

sal of the incidents surrounding the resurrection. 
You can preach the Sabbath into an audience 
until you literally kill all the interest the audience 
ever had in the Sabbath, but you cannot do this 
with the resurrection. The longer you study it 
and preach it, the more you have to study and 
the more you have on your hands to preach. 
Questions will pile up on you on every hand 
when you undertake to exhaust the theme of the 
resurrection. The resurrection is a live subject. 
The more you handle it, the more it grows. The 
Sabbath is a dead issue. The more you handle it, 
the more it crumbles away in your hands. 

In 1911 Elder Carey, of the Advent faith, and 
myself were conducting a tent meeting on Fif- 
teenth and Clay Streets, in Waco, Texas. The cold, 
spiritless stuff we were preaching to our audience 
each night began to hang heavy on my hands. 
I confessed this one night to Elder Carey. We 
decided to put a little more "scream" into our 
method of delivery. Elder Carey's first effort 
was a decided improvement, and so was mine ; but 
the "scream" reminded me of sticking green 
leaves on to dead limbs. I abandoned my extra 
"scream" immediately, and so did Carey. Then 
one night it was my turn to preach. I was at a 
loss to know what to preach or how to preach it. 
I was sitting out in the yard, on the shady side 
of the house, late in the afternoon, turning 
through my Bible. My eyes fell on Mark 16 : 4 : 
"The stone was rolled away." I sat contemplat- 
ing this passage. The rolling stone! I ate sup- 



Adventism and the Bible. 153 

per and took a walk. That night I used Mark 
16 : 4 for a text and preached on the subject, "The 
Rolling Stone." 

I began with the "stone" that was cut out of 
the mountain without hands. (Dan. 2.) I told 
my audience that this stone was the kingdom of 
Christ in the world, Christ himself being the 
chief corner stone and each of us being "lively 
stones" built upon him. (1 Pet. 2:4.) I re- 
minded them that this stone is a "living" stone; 
that life adheres in it; and I told them that this 
stone began to roll away on the first day of the 
week. Sitting out in the yard that afternoon, I 
had wondered why the stone began to roll away 
on the first day of the week ; and that night I at- 
tempted to tell the audience why. The reason, as 
I told them, is because, in this dispensation, 
Christ is head of the church, because he is the 
first born from among those who slept, because 
he has preeminence over all ; and that, therefore, 
his coming forth from the dead on the first day 
of the week was merely an arrangement in keep- 
ing with his position as head and first of every- 
thing in this dispensation. 

I had spoken more than was expedient; and 
Elder Carey, the senior member of the team, was 
not slow in calling me into council after the ser- 
mon. At the State camp meeting, held at Dallas, 
Texas, two weeks later, Elder McCutchen, the 
State president, reprimanded me severely for 
preaching such doctrine. They both told me that 
I had ventured out on dangerous ground. 



154 Adventism and the Bible. 

Why Our Lord Came Forth from the Dead on 
the First Day of the Week. 

1. To show that he is first. 

Col. 1 : 14, 15 : "The first born of every crea- 
ture." 

2. To show that he is the beginning. 

Col. 1 : 18 : "Who is the beginning." 
Rev. 1 : 8 : "I am . . . the beginning." 
Rev. 3: 14: "The beginning of the creation 
of God." 

3. To show that he is the head. 

Eph. 1 : 22 : "He is the head of the body." 

4. To show that he is preeminent in this dispensa- 
tion. 

Eph. 1: 18: "That in all things he might 

have the preeminence." 
Matt. 28 : 18 : "All authority hath been given 

unto me." 

Rev. 12: 7: "And there was war in heaven. 

. . . And the great dragon was cast 

down." 

Rev. 19: 16: "King of kings, and Lord of 

lords." 

The stone that is eventually to destroy the 

kingdoms of men and bring in the eternal reign 

of Christ on earth began to be rolled away on the 

morning of the resurrection. The first Pentecost 

after that event gave this stone a tremendous 

send off. Since then it has been found that our 

Lord is first in point of prominence in the affairs 

of this world; that he is the beginning of all 

things that result in good; and that he is the 



Adventism and the Bible. 155 

head of his body, the church. In coming forth 
from the dead, therefore, on the first day of the 
week, which is the head, the beginning of the 
week, he thereby showed forth his position among 
men — the head, the beginning, and the first of all 
interests. 

"When the Day of Pentecost Was Fully 
Come." 

Adventists make a strenuous effort to show 
that the day of Pentecost fell, not on Sunday, but 
on the Sabbath. They admit, however, that the 
count of fifty days should begin on "the morrow 
after the Sabbath." But they take it that the 
passover day, always the fifteenth day of the first 
month (beginning at sundown on the fourteenth 
day and ending at sundown on the fifteenth day), 
was regarded by the Jews as a "Sabbath," and 
that this is the supposed "Sabbath" spoken of in 
Lev. 23: 11. 

r JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED ON THE -| 
J PASSOVER DAY— THE FIFTEENTH DAY I 
\ OF THE FIRST MONTH, FRIDAY. J 

The "morrow after the Sabbath," therefore, 
considering the passover day as the "Sabbath" 
spoken of, was the next day (Saturday), the day 
our Lord lay in the tomb. The waving of the 
sheaf offering, then, the first fruits, typified his 
death rather than his resurrection ! This is 
grossly inconsistent on the face of it. 

In the summer of 1911 I stenciled the follow- 



156 Adventism and the Bible. 

ing chart for T. W. Field, then president of the 
West Texas Conference of Seventh-Day Advent- 
ists, and was present when he made his argu- 
ments from the chart in debate with a Christian 
minister : 

PENTECOST. 
Friday Saturday 

6th— 7123456-7123456-7123456-7123456-7123456-7123456-7123456— 7th 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7-8 

( LEV. 23: 15: "SEVEN SABBATHS) 
j SHALL THERE BE COMPLETE." j 

Count the Sabbaths in Field's chart: 1-2-3-4-5- 
6-7-8 ! 

j LEV. 23: 16: "EVEN UNTO THE MOR- ) 
j ROW AFTER THE SEVENTH SABBATH." \ 

Put your pencil on the day after the seventh 
Sabbath in the chart — the "1." Now count the 
days up to this day, 7-14-21-28-35-42, and the 
"7" makes 43, and the next day makes 44 days! 
Thus Elder Field's chart is too short on days and 
too long on weeks — also too long on weaks! 

Now turn back to my chart in this chapter. 
Compare it with Field's chart, and it will be seen 
clearly that Pentecost could fall on no other day 
than the first day of the week. 

Events Divinely Arranged Which Took Place 
on the First Day of the Week. 
I. The new law was given on this day. 

"Significance has been found in the fact that the law 
was given from Sinai on the fiftieth day after the deliv- 
erance from Egypt." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Teach- 
ers' Edition, Article "Pentecost.") 



Adventism and the Bible. 157 

Isa. 2: 2-4 states that "in the last days" "the 
word of the Lord" would go forth from Jerusa- 
lem, and that the people, "all nations," would 
volunteer to "walk in his law." 

Joel 2: 28 adds that at that time, in "the last 
days," the Spirit of the Lord would be poured out 
on his servants, causing many to prophesy. 

The Spirit was poured out on the first Pente- 
cost after the resurrection of Christ, which Peter 
declared was a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy 
(Acts 2: 17) ; and as the law was to be given 
when the Spirit was poured out, it follows that 
the new law went into effect on the first Pente- 
cost after Christ's resurrection. 

The Father acknowledged Christ to be his only 
begotten Son after he came forth from the dead — 
"this day have I begotten thee." (Ps. 2: 7; Acts 
13: 33.) 

At this time Christ took his seat upon the "holy 
hill of Zion." (Ps. 2 : 6.) Then it was that the 
new law was given. (Heb. 12 : 18-29.) 

On this great day of Pentecost many cried out, 
"What shall we do?" and Peter gave the new law 
of pardon for this dispensation : "Repent ye, and 
be baptized." (Acts 2: 38.) 

Christ on this day was crowned King. (Ps. 2 : 
6.) 

Ever since he has reigned as King. (1 Cor. 
15: 24, 25.) 

II. The Comforter was given on this day. 

The Comforter promised. (John 14: 26.) 



158 Adventism and the Bible. 

The Comforter given. (Acts 2: 1-17.) 
III. The church was born on this day. 

"Just as the appearance of God on Sinai was the birth- 
day of the Jewish nation, so was the Pentecost the birth- 
day of the Christian church. (Smith's Bible Dictionary, 
Article "Pentecost.") 

During his personal ministry Christ had said: 
"I will build my church." (Matt. 16: 16-18.) 
John the Baptist prepared the way for this 
church; Christ built the edifice; and the Holy 
Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, formally opened 
the door into the church. This door has remained 
open ever since. (Rev. 3: 7.) Hence: 

1. Christ rose from the dead on the first day of 
the week. 

2. Pentecost was always on the first day of the 
week. 

3. The new law went forth on the first day of 
the week. 

4. The Holy Spirit descended on the first day 
of the week. 

5. Christ was crowned King on the first day of 
the week. 

6. Our Lord was recognized as, and confessed 
to be, the only begotten from the dead on the first 
day of the week. 

7. The church of Christ was born on the first 
day of the week. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



The Lord's Day in Gospel History. 



We have seen that the resurrection day was 
foretold fifteen centuries before the great event 
happened. Our Lord came forth from the dead 
on the first day of the week ; the Spirit was given 
on the first day of the week ; the church was born 
on the first day of the week; our Lord was 
crowned King at that time, and the new law 
went into effect. If we were told by inspiration 
that these great happenings were divinely ap- 
pointed to take place on this day, and that by so 
taking place they hallowed the day, there would 
never have been the slightest quibbling over the 
matter. All, then, could have seen the consist- 
ency underlying the events. If they could see the 
consistency then, why not now ? Hence the tran- 
spiration of the events we have enumerated must 
be taken to be sufficient to mark the resurrec- 
tion day as a sacred day — sacred in every sense 
in which it is held by Christians. 

In this chapter we shall consider Acts 20: 7; 
1 Cor. 16: 1,2; Rev. 1: 10. 

Acts 20 : 7. 

"And we sailed away from Philippi after the 
days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to 
Troas in five days ; where we tarried seven days. 



160 Adventism and the Bible. 

And upon the first day of the week, when we were 
gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed 
with them, intending to depart on the morrow; 
and prolonged his speech until midnight." (Acts 
20: 6, 7.) 

In this passage the following facts are clearly 
stated : 

1. Paul and his company left Philippi "after 
the days of unleavened bread." 

2. The trip across to Troas required "five 
days." 

3. There they tarried "seven days." 

4. "And upon the first day of the week," when 
the disciples "were gathered together to break 
bread," Paul preached to them. 

j WHY DID THEY TARRY SEVEN DAYS 1 
} IN TROAS? \ 

The tarrying ended with the "first day of the 
week." Thus they were in Troas 

Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday 
12 3 4 5 6 7 

Paul remained there so as to meet the brethren 
and to preach to them. This statement will not 
be disputed. Why wait, then, until Sunday to 
meet with them? He arrived Monday. Why not 
call them together that very evening, discourse 
unto them, and set sail the next morning? In 
answering this question, it must be granted that 
some of the brethren lived in the country. These 
were away from the city during the week. This 
is so of churches to-day where the membership 



Adventism and the Bible. 161 

is composed partly of country people. Now it 
is quite easy, in most cases, to call up the country 
members by telephone and have them out to 
church any evening. This was not so then. We 
are not told why Paul waited until Sunday, but 
we are told that he waited. It is not overstepping 
the bounds of reason or the logical trend of the 
matter to assume that he waited until Sunday 
because he knew the rural membership would 
come in to break bread on that day. When the 
first day of the week arrived, the passage states 
that the disciples "came together." Only a lim- 
ited number knew Paul was present. This will 
not be disputed. The others, therefore, came to- 
gether — why? "To break bread." 

This, mind you, was a Christian church — "dis- 
ciples" — and not a "synagogue of the Jews." 
And this Christian church, Luke writes, came to- 
gether on the first day of the week "to break 
bread." 

Breaking Bread. — Adventists teach that break- 
ing bread in this passage means eating a common 
meal. We deny this. Paul writes : 

"What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink 
in? ... If any man is hungry, let him eat 
at home." (1 Cor. 11: 22, 34.) 

Eating the ordinary meal, therefore, was done 
"at home." The church did not "come together" 
for the purpose of eating a common meal. 

BREAKING BREAD AND EATING] 
"MEAT" ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. I 
(READ ACTS 2: 42, 46.) J 

11 



162 Adventism and the Bible. 

Luke does not say the disciples came together 
to eat their "meat," but to "break bread" — that 
is, they came together for the purpose of partak- 
ing of the communion. 

A Night Meeting. — Adventists contend that it 
is not likely that the disciples took the commun- 
ion at night. But we remind them of the fact 
that the communion was instituted at night. The 
Christian church at Winslow, Ariz., during 1918, 
while I was pastor, took the communion many 
times at night. A number of the members were 
railroad men and could be present only at night. 
While I was a student at Keene, Texas, the Ad- 
ventist Church celebrated the ordinances in the 
afternoon. There is no set time when the com- 
munion is to be taken. 

This meeting was held Sunday evening. John, 
in his biography of Christ, in speaking of the 
first day of the week, the resurrection day, says : 
"Then the same day at evening, being the first 
day of the week." (John 20 : 19.) In this state- 
ment John simply confesses that the evening fol- 
lowing the day is a part of the day. Sunday 
evening is the evening following Sunday. When, 
therefore, we read that the disciples came to- 
gether on the first day of the week for an evening 
meeting, we know it is Sunday night that is 
spoken about. 

1 Cor. 16: 1, 2. 

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, 
as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also 
do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each 



Adventism and the Bible. 163 

one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, 
that no collections be made when I come." (1 
Cor. 16: 1, 2.) 

In approaching a great passage of the word of 
God, we should endeavor to feel our way into it, 
carefully opening its secret doors, viewing its 
hidden treasures, and systematically tabulating 
its sacred contents. Just as he who hurries with 
pomp and bombast into the presence of the moun- 
tains fails to see the mountains or to catch their 
wonderful lesson, so he who hurriedly undertakes 
to cut and carve, slash and slay the word of God 
finds in the end that the treasure he was seeking 
has eluded him. Looking carefully, then, into 
this important passage, we find the following: 

1. Paul was speaking to the brethren "concern- 
ing the collection for the saints." 

2. He had already given "order" to the 
churches of the region of Galatia to make a sim- 
ilar offering. 

3. This collection was to be taken "on the first 
day of the week." 

4. "Each" one was to make an offering as God 
had prospered him. 

Paul states that he had already given this same 
order unto the churches of the region of Galatia. 
The churches of Macedonia had already made 
their offering. (See 2 Cor. 8:9.) Here, then, 
are three regions which had received this same 
order. The Corinthian church was told to take 
the offering on "the first day of the week." It is 
not stepping too far, therefore, to conclude that 



164 Adventism and the Bible. 

Galatia and Macedonia looked after their offer- 
ings on the first day of the week also. 

But why the first day of the week? These 
simple statements, found in the New Testament, 
should arouse in our minds serious inquiry; for 
if the churches in these three localities made their 
contributions on the first day of the week, it is 
necessary that we conclude that other churches, 
located in Paul's field of activity and under his 
supervision, took up their offerings on the same 
day. There were the "seven churches" in Asia 
Minor, to whom the book of Revelation was ad- 
dressed, and we know they were under his super- 
vision. It must be something of more than pass- 
ing interest that caused such a concerted recog- 
nition of a day. 

But Adventists have a way of explaining this 
passage. Here is their way: 

"Mr. J. W. Morton, late Presbyterian missionary to 
Hayti, bears the following testimony: 

" 'The whole question turns upon the meaning of the 
expression, "by himself;" and I marvel greatly how you 
can imagine that it means "in the collection box of the 
congregation." Greenfield, in his lexicon, translates the 
Greek term, "with one's self" — i. e., at home. Two Latin 
versions — the Vulgate and that of Castellio — render it 
"apud se," with one's self; at home. Three French trans- 
lations — those of Martin, Osterwald, and De Sacy — "chex 
soi," at his own house; at home. The German of Luther, 
"bei sich selbst," by himself; at home. The Dutch, "by 
themselves," same as the German. The Italian of Felippe 
Scio, "en su casa," in his own house. The Portuguese of 
Ferreira, "para isso," with himself. The Swedish, "naer 
sig self," near himself.' " (J. N. Andrews' "History of 
the Sabbath," pages 176, 177.) 






Adventism and the BlBjLE. 165 

Why give all these worthless translations of 
the original Greek? Why not give the Greek it- 
self? What could eight hundred translations of 
the meaning of the Greek add to the Greek? 

Four times in the above list Mr. Morton, who, 
by the way, was a convert to Adventism, and not 
a "Presbyterian," as Andrews states, adds gratis, 
"at home." He states that Greenfield, the Greek 
lexicographer, gives "at home" as part of the 
translation of the Greek phrase. NOT SO ! The 
words "at home" in Greenfield is his comment, 
not the translation of tlje phrase. "At home" is 
separated from the translation by a semicolon. 
This Morton should have been familiar with 
grammar enough to notice. 

The original Greek is par heh-auto. Greenfield, 
whom Morton misquotes, says this means "by 
one's self;" at home. "By one's self" is his 
translation; "at home," his comment. It was 
Greenfield's opinion that "at home" is the mean- 
ing of "by himself." But "at home" is not in the 
phrase. Here is the Greek: 

Par — by. 

Heh-auto — one's self. 

The meaning is that each member was to con- 
sider it his duty, a personal matter with himself, 
to contribute as he had been prospered. The ex- 
pression is equivalent to "of his own accord." 

Rev. 1: 10. 

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and 
heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." 
(Rev. 1: 10.) 



166 Adventism and the Bible. 

J. N. Andrews, Sabbath historian, will present 
the Advent view of this passage : 

"That the first day of the week has no claim to the title 
of 'Lord's day' the following facts will show: (1) As this 
text does not define the term 'Lord's day,' we must look 
elsewhere in the Bible for the evidence that shows the first 
day to be entitled to such a designation; (2) Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, and Paul — the other sacred writers who men- 
tion the day — use no other definition for it than 'first day 
of the week.'" {"History of the Sabbath," page 189.) 

First Reason Considered. — "This text does not 
define the term 'Lord's day.' " For this reason 
he insists that we must "look elsewhere in the 
Bible" for a definition of the expression "Lord's 
day." Why necessarily "in the Bible?" Why not 
in the writings of men who lived contempora- 
neously with John? That is the exact point An- 
drews, in his history, is already beginning to op- 
pose. He does not wish to go to contemporaneous 
history. He knows what he will find there. 

His Second Reason Considered. — The Gospel 
writers and Paul all mention the first day of the 
week, yet did not call it "Lord's day !" He would 
dictate just the terms inspired writers should 
use! But it was the Holy Spirit, not Elder An- 
drews, who was to "guide" them into all truth. 
WE FIND "LORD'S SUPPER" IN 1 COR. 



J 



l 11: 20 ONLY; YET ALL THE OTHER GOS- 
L PEL WRITERS KNEW OF IT. 

Consider the following : 

1. John uses the term "Lord's day." It could 
not refer to the first day of the week, for no other 
Gospel writer makes such use of the term. 



Adventism and the Bible. 167 

2. Paul uses the term "Lord's Supper." It 
could not refer to the communion of the Lord's 
blood and body, for no other Gospel writer makes 
such use of the term. 

Andrews concludes: 

"That the Lord's day is the Bible Sabbath admits of 
clear and certain proof." ("History of the Sabbath," 
page 191.) 

The reader presumes, on reading this passage 
at the top of page 191 of Andrews' "History," 
that several pages of the "clear and certain 
proof" would be appended ; but — lo ! — on the next 
page the chapter ends ! He quotes the following 
passages without comment : Gen. 2:3; Ex. 16 : 
23; Isa. 58: 13, 14; Mark 2: 28. He argues for 
"God's holy day;" but God's holy day is not un- 
der discussion, any more than God's holy house is 
under discussion, or God's holy people, or God's 
holy sacrifices, or God's holy passover, or any of 
God's holy things. But we are discussing the 
"Lord's day." 

The Meaning of "Lord." 
To whom does "Lord" in Rev. 1: 10 refer? 
In the Greek the words translated "Lord's day" 
are keeriakaa hameera. Keeriakaa is an adjec- 
tive, meaning lordic, lordly, lordean — pertaining 
to a lord. Hameera is the regular word for "day." 
We offer the following statements from author- 
ities : 

"Keeriakaa, of or pertaining to the Lord — i. e., the Mes- 
siah, the Lord's. (1 Cor. 11: 20; Rev. 1: 10.)" (Green- 
field.) 



168 Adventism and the Bible. 

"Keeriakos, pertaining to the Lord, to the Lord Jesus 
Christ — e. g., keeriakon diepnon, the Lord's Supper. (1 
Cor. 11: 20) ; keeriakaa hameera, the Lord's day." (Rob- 
inson.) 

"Keeriakos, of, belonging to, concerning a lord or mas- 
ter; esp., belonging to the Lord (Christ) ; hence, haa 
keeriakaa, sub. hameera, the Lord's day; . . . to 
keeriakon, the Lord's house; . . . whence our kyrke, 
church." (Liddell and Scott.) 

Some Things the Lord's. 

1. "The Lord's body." (1 Cor. 11: 29.) 

2. "The Lord's death." (1 Cor. 11: 26.) 

3. "The Lord's table." (1 Cor. 10: 21.) 

4. "The Lord's Supper." (1 Cor. 11: 20.) 

5. "The Lord's day." (Rev. 1: 10.) 

6. "The disciples of the Lord." (Acts 9:1.) 

7. "The blood of the Lord." (1 Cor. 11 : 27.) 

8. "The house of the Lord." (1 Tim. 3: 15.) 
In each of these passages "Lord" is translated 

from keeriakos, and is the word used everywhere 
for our Lord Christ. 

Some New Terms. 

"Christians," "elders," "deacons," "bishop," 
"church," "baptism," "Lord's Supper," "evangel- 
ists," "gospel," "apostles," "Lord's day," "Lord's 
body" — all these terms, as used in the New Tes- 
tament, were newly coined. New movements al- 
ways produce new terms. Since the war we have 
become acquainted with "camouflage," "raid," 
"over the top," "Sammy," etc. The foregoing 
terms are products of the gospel of the first cen- 
tury. The gospel gave to the word the term 



Adventism and the Bible. 169 

"Lord's day." It is a day pertaining to our Lord. 
There is but one day that can be meant — the day 
of his resurrection, the day of his victory over 
death and the grave. Contemporaneous church 
history, as we shall see later, leaves no doubt in 
our minds on this point. 

The "Lord's Supper" does not refer to the pass- 
over supper, although the passover was the Lord's 
Supper, but to the communion of the body and 
blood of Christ. The "Lord's body" does not re- 
fer to the house of Israel, although Israel was 
the Lord's body, but to the church of Christ. 
The "Lord's table" does not refer to the passover, 
although the passover was the Lord's table, but 
to the supper our Lord instituted. The "house of 
the Lord" does not refer to the chosen people of 
the old dispensation, although they were the 
house of the Lord, but to Christians. The "house 
of the Lord" is not a synagogue, but a church. 

We fail to see the consistency, therefore, or the 
logic in applying the term the "Lord's day" to the 
Sabbath. It can have but one meaning, and that 
meaning is the day of our Lord's resurrection. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



The Lard's Day in the Second Century. 



There is a veritable "petrified forest" of Chris- 
tian writers who lived in the second and third 
centuries of the Christian era. These men com- 
municated with those who had lived with the in- 
spired writers. 

Pliny, 104 A.D. 

Pliny was a Roman governor of the province 
of Bythinia. Christianity flourished in his prov- 
ince while he was governor. Out of patriotism 
for the best interest of the empire, Pliny inter- 
viewed these Christians and reported as follows 
to the Emperor Trajan: 

". . . They assured me that they were wont, on a 
stated day, to meet together before it was light, and to 
sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god, alternately, . . . 
after which it was their custom to depart and to meet 
again at a common, but innocent, meal." (Pliny's Let- 
ters, b. 10, epis. 97.) 

The controversy hinges around this "stated 
day." J. N. Andrews, Sabbath historian of the 
Adventists, confesses that 

"This testimony from Pliny . . . does not desig- 
nate what day of the week was thus observed." ("His- 
tory of the Sabbath," Revised Edition, page 268.) 

Regarding the day on which Christians assem- 
bled for worship, Mosheim speaks as follows : 



Adventism and the Bible. 171 

"Their meetings were on the first day of the week; and, 
in some places, they assembled also on the seventh, which 
was celebrated by the Jews." (Mosheim's "Church His- 
tory," Cent. 2, Part 2, Chapter IV., Paragraph 8.) 

Christians who were of Jewish extraction con- 
tinued to worship on the Sabbath also along with 
their celebration of the first day of the week. 
They also continued to observe practically all 
their forms and ceremonies. This is to be ex- 
pected, and we gladly concede this historical fact. 

Barnabas, 120 A.D. 

". . . We observed the eighth day with gladness, in 
which Jesus rose from the dead." {Barnabas 18: 9, 10.) 

Andrews quotes eleven authorities, covering 
three whole pages of his large book, and all for 
no other purpose than to prove that this "Barna- 
bas'' was not Paul's companion. Now, who cares 
whether Barnabas was Paul's companion or not? 
That has nothing to do with the value of this tes- 
timony. All agree that the writer of the epistle 
of Barnabas was a Christian Jew who lived in the 
early part of the second century. Andrews says : 
"The so-called 'epistle of Barnabas' " was "put out 
by some anonymous Gnostic writer sometime in the 
second century " {"History of the Sabbath," Re- 
vised, page 26 U.) In the old edition of his "His- 
tory of the Sabbath" the same author makes this 
remark: "This epistle is the only writing pur- 
porting to come from the first century, except the 
New Testament, in which the first day is referred 
to." (Page 237.) The burden of the epistle is 
summed up in the following statement : 



172 Adventism and the Bible. 

"Therefore he hath shown these things to all of us, that 
we should not run as proselytes to the Jewish law." 
(Chapter 2: 20.) 

Regardless, therefore, of whomsoever wrote 
the epistle, the content is sufficient to prove that 
Christians of the second century believed and 
taught that the Jewish law was abrogated, with 
its forms, its ceremonies, and its Sabbaths. 

Justin Martyr, 140 A.D. 

According to J. N. Andrews, Justin Martyr 
stands out as the "earliest testimony in behalf of 
first-day observance that has any claim to be re- 
garded as genuine." {''History of the Sabbath," 
Old Edition, page 268.) 

The works that have given this writer his place 
among the second-century authors are his First 
and Second "Apologies" in behalf of Christians 
and the Christian faith. The "First Defense" 
was composed at Rome during the reign of An- 
tonius Pius. These were the years of persecu- 
tion. Of this writer Andrews allows himself to 
confess that "he taught the abrogation of the 
sabbatic institution." ("History of the Sab- 
bath," Old Edition, page 269.) And L. R. Con- 
radi, the author of the Revised Edition of the 
"History of the Sabbath," makes this confession: 
"In his mind, there was no Sabbath observance 
before Moses; consequently there is none since 
Christ." (Page 327.) A portion of the "First 
Apology" reads as follows: 

"And upon the day called 'Sunday/ all that live either 
in city or country meet together at the same place, where 



Adventism and the Bible. 173 

the writings of the apostles are read as much as time will 
give leave; . . . and, prayers being over, as I now said, 
there is bread and wine and water offered, and the bishop, 
as before, sends up prayers and thanksgiving. . . . 
Then the consecrated elements are distributed to, and par- 
taken of by, all that are present, and sent to the absent 
by the hands of the deacons. . . . Upon Sunday we 
all assemble, that being the first day in which God set 
himself to work upon the dark void in order to make the 
world, and in which Jesus our Savior rose again from the 
dead." {"First Apology" Translated by William Reeves, 
page 127, Sections 87-89.) 

From what we know of Justin Martyr, there- 
fore, we are prepared to affirm, with Andrews, 
that ' 'Justin was a decided opponent of the an- 
cient Sabbath." 

Clement, 194 A.D. 

Andrews has this on Clement and Clement's 
testimony : 

". . . It is not until we come to the close of the 
second century that we find the first instance in which it 
[Sunday] is called 'Lord's day.' Clement of Alexandria 
uses this title with reference to the 'eighth day.' If he 
speaks of a natural day, he, no doubt, means Sunday." 
{"History of the Sabbath," Old Edition, page 222.) 

Clement was one of the most distinguished 
church writers of this time. He flourished about 
194 A.D. His writings have been preserved in 
his "Miscellanies." From Book 7, Chapter XII. , 
of this work we make the following quotation : 

"He, in fulfillment of the precept, according to the 
gospel, keeps the Lord's day, when he abandons an evil 
disposition and assumes that of the Gnostic, glorifying the 
Lord's resurrection in himself." 



174 Adventism and the Bible. 

Thus Clement connects the Lord's day and the 
Lord's resurrection. This, according to An- 
drews, is "the first instance* in which it is called 
'Lord's day.' " 

Tertullian, 200 A.D. 
Tertullian was a lawyer. No writer wielded a 
more influential pen in the latter days of the sec- 
ond century than did he. He was opposed to all 
the arts that tend to improve and embellish hu- 
man life. Because Christians attended worship 
on the first day of the week, many "ignorant" 
persons had charged that they were sun worship- 
ers. Tertullian, addressing himself to the rulers 
and magistrates of the Roman empire, defends 
himself and others against such charges as fol- 
lows: 

"Others, again, certainly with more information and 
greater verisimilitude, believe that the sun is our god. 
. . . The idea, no doubt, has originated from our being 
known to turn to the east in prayer. But you, many of 
you, also under pretense sometimes of worshiping the 
heavenly bodies, move your lips in the direction of the 
sunrise. In the same way, if we devote Sunday to rejoic- 
ing, from a far different reason than sun worship, we 



♦Andrews is particularly fond of pointing out all the "first in- 
stances" of the occurrence of anything that has to do with the 
Lord's day. That, of course, is his privilege. In the epistle of 
Barnabas we find the "first instance" in any writing purporting to 
come from the first century in which the first day is referred to. 
In the writings of Justin Martyr we find the "first instance" of the 
observance of the first day that is genuine; and in the writings of 
Clement we find the "first instance" in which Sunday was called 
"Lord's day." A single -example will offset all he intends to gain 
by these "instances" — namely, in the days of Moses we find the 
"first instance" of Sabbath observance. To this Andrews would 
answer: "The Sabbatth was observed, but the fact was not re- 
corded." Very well, then, let this rule apply to first-day observ- 
ance in the first and second centuries! 



Adventism and the Bible. 175 

have resemblance to those of you who devote the day of 
Saturn to ease and luxury, though they, too, go far from 
Jewish ways, of which they are indeed ignorant." 
("Apology," Chapter XVI.) 

Addressing his own Christian brethren and 
seeking to administer quite a sharp rebuke for 
their custom of mingling with the heathen in 
their festivities, which mingling was not recipro- 
cated by the heathen, Tertullian has this : 

"Not the Lord's day, nor Pentecost, even if they had 
known them, would they have shared with us; for they 
would fear lest they should seem to be Christians. We 
are not apprehensive lest we should seem to be heathen! 
. . . To the heathen each festival day occurs but once 
annually; you have a festival day every eighth day." 
("History of the Sabbath/' Old Edition, pages 223, 22 1>.) 

Here he states positively that the heathen knew 
nothing of the "Lord's day." This is quite con- 
trary to the teaching of Adventism, which teach- 
ing goes its length in affirming that the observ- 
ance of the first day as a weekly institution came 
directly from the heathen ! Here also is a rebuke 
to Adventism, which dishonestly affirms that the 
early practice of keeping Sunday was nothing 
more nor less than sun worship. "We devote 
Sunday to rejoicing," says Tertullian, "from a 
far different reason than sun worship." There 
the matter should stand. Tertullian further 
states that "to the heathen each festival day oc- 
curs but once annually." And this was written 
seventeen hundred years ago — at the very time 
when Adventists declare the heathen worshiped 
the sun every week. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



The Nature of First-Day Observance. 



One reason why it is so hard for an Adventist 
to understand the nature of the Lord's day is be- 
cause he approaches the subject with a mind filled 
with preconceived notions, all of which are the 
outgrowth of his intensive study of the old sab- 
batic demands. For instance : 

1. He assumes that it must be a sin for any 
one to perform any kind of labor on Sunday, sim- 
ply because it was a sin to labor on the Sabbath. 

2. He assumes that Sunday must be regarded 
as part of the old legal system of the Jews. 

3. He assumes that Sunday must be spoken of, 
both in the Scriptures and in church history, not 
as the "Lord's day," but as the "Sabbath." 

4. He assumes that new methods of observing 
the first day of the week are indications of apos- 
tasy. 

5. He assumes that there must be a clear-cut 
command in the New Testament setting apart the 
first day of the week, just as there was a clear- 
cut command in the Old Testament setting apart 
the seventh day. 

Now, as a matter of common fact, in all these 
assumptions he makes a serious mistake. Let me 
illustrate: Suppose, for the time being, that we 
are ignorant of how to observe the Lord's Sup- 



Adventism and the Bible. 177 

per. How, then, shall we go about observing it? 
We put our heads together, and we "assume," of 
course, that it must be observed after this fash- 
ion: (1) It must be observed on the fourteenth 
day of the first month; (2) it must be observed 
annually; (3) it must be observed at evening; 
(4) not more than twenty people can be permit- 
ted to partake at any one table; (5) the elements 
must be bitter herbs, roast lamb, and wine. 

We are misled — heartlessly misled. Yet we 
were following the methods of observing a per- 
fectly divine institution (and the "Lord's Sup- 
per," too) under the Levitical order. Not one of 
the five things enumerated is a part of the Lord's 
Supper. 

Adventists find no difficulty in determining the 
nature of the Lord's Supper. They do not con- 
tend that the rules of the passover shall guide in 
its celebration. They observe the Lord's Supper 
quarterly, and in the afternoon, for which they 
have neither text nor example of inspired men. 

The Spirit to Guide Into All Truth. 

Our Lord, just before he went away, said unto 
his disciples : 

"I have yet many things to say unto you, but 
ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the 
Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into 
all the truth ; . . . and he shall declare unto 
you the things that are to come." (John 16: 12, 
13.) 

The gospel was given on the installment plan. 

12 



178 Adventism and the Bible. 

During his personal ministry Christ gave his dis- 
ciples such preparatory instruction and informa- 
tion as they were able to comprehend without 
pulling away from him. On the day of Pentecost 
the Holy Spirit announced other things ; and dur- 
ing the personal ministry of the apostles, and up 
until 96 A.D., the complete gospel — the "perfect 
law of liberty" — was revealed, "here a little, 
there a little ; line upon line, line upon line." 

It is not difficult to see the wisdom in all this. 
Suppose, for instance, that Christ, before his cru- 
cifixion, should have told his disciples in plain and 
open speech that after his death the following 
changes would take place: (1) The temple serv- 
ice would be no more; (2) sacrifices would lose 
their meaning; (3) the priesthood would be out 
of date and useless; (4) circumcision would have 
no meaning; (5) the passover would be discon- 
tinued; (6) the moons, Sabbaths, and feast days 
would be at an end; and (7) the law of Moses 
would be superseded by a newer and a better law. 

No Adventist will deny that all these changes 
took place. Still, it is plain that the Lord could 
not have outlined such a program to his disciples. 
They were not ready to receive it. But he made 
provision that after he had gone away the Holy 
Spirit should slowly, but surely, guide them into 
all truth. 

Recall how Paul (1) circumcised Timothy 
(Acts 16: 3) ; (2) kept vows (Acts 18: 18) ; (3) 
observed purification (Acts 21: 17-26); (4) al- 
lowed Jewish Christians to continue the observ- 



Adventism and the Bible. 179 

ance of the rites and ceremonies of the law (Acts 
21: 20-24) ; (5) observed the feast of Pentecost 
(Acts 20: 16). 

Yet at the very same time the Spirit was at 
work guiding them into all truth. Consider the 
following: (1) Paul refused to circumcise Titus, 
thus denying the validity of circumcision (Gal. 
2: 3; 1 Cor. 7: 19) ; (2) Paul boldly declared that 
the "feast days" had passed away (Col. 2: 14- 
16) ; (3) Paul declared that the "Sabbath days" 
were also abolished (Col. 2: 14-16) ; (4) Paul de- 
clared that the antiquated old legal system was 
no more (Eph. 2: 14, 15) ; (5) Paul declared that 
the priesthood had been "changed" (Heb. 7: 12) ; 
(6) Paul declared a new law had been given from 
Mount Zion which takes precedence over the old 
law given from Mount Sinai (Heb. 12: 18-30). 

Apostolic Example. 

We, as Christians, are admonished to follow 
what we have "both learned, and received, and 
heard, and seen" in the example of inspired men. 
(Phil. 4: 9; 2 Tim. 2:3; Phil. 3: 17.) Under 
the new covenant, therefore, apostolic "example" 
is a sufficient basis for an action of faith. 

In the matter of observing the first day of the 
week we not only have an "order" from the apos- 
tle Paul himself, which was given alike unto all 
the churches in the extensive field of his labor — 
Galatia, Macedonia, Greece — but we have undis- 
puted apostolic "example" also. (1 Cor. 16: 1, 
2; Acts 20: 7; 2 Cor. 8: 9.) 



180 Adventism and the Bible. 

Luke, in Acts 20 : 7, certainly states that the 
"disciples" came together "on the first day of the 
week" for the purpose of partaking of the com- 
munion ; and 1 Cor. 16 : 1, 2 teaches also that each 
one, of his own accord (par auto), was to make 
an appropriation for the Lord's work "on the 
first day of the week." 

The Testimony of Church History. 
We merely wish to call attention to the follow- 
ing facts : 

I. The Lord's day came to he known as the 
"eighth day." 

A.D. 115. Ignatius: "The eighth day, on which our 
life sprang up again and the victory over death was ob- 
tained in Christ." ("Epistle to the Magnesians," Chap- 
ter IX.) 

A.D. 120. Barnabas: "We keep the eighth day, . . . 
on which Jesus rose from the dead." ("Epistle of Bar- 
nabas, Chapter XV.) 

A.D. 248. Cyprian: "The eighth day — that is, the first 
day after the Sabbath." (Cyprian's "Epistle," No. 58, 
Section .4.) 

II. Both Sabbath and Lord's day were kept as 
follows: 

1. The Sabbath as a fast day. 

William James: "The Western church began to fast on 
Saturday at the beginning of the third century." ("Ser- 
mons on the Sacraments and Sabbath.") 

2. The Lord's day as a day of rejoicing. 

A.D. 250. "He will be guilty of sin who fasts on the 
Lord's day, being the day of the resurrection." ("Apos- 
tolic Constitutions," Book 5, Section 3, Paragraph 20.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 181 

III. Sabbath observance was continued only by 
Jewish converts. 

Neander: "The custom, derived from the Jews, of pay- 
ing a certain respect to the Sabbath, still continued to be 
handed down in the Oriental communities. In several of 
the Eastern churches the Sabbath was celebrated nearly- 
after the same manner as Sunday." ("History of the 
Church," Volume II., page 297; Eighth American Edition, 
Croker & Brewster, Publishers.) 

The privilege of continuing the observance of 
the old rites and ceremonies was given the Jew- 
ish converts by Paul. (See Acts 21: 20-26.) 
But while the Jewish converts retained a certain 
respect for the Sabbath, they likewise ' 'admitted 
with the rest the festival of Sunday." {Nean- 
der, Volume I., page 296.) 

IV. The Lord's day and the Sabbath were 
never confounded. 

Coleman: "During the early ages of the church it was 
never entitled 'the Sabbath,' this word being confined to 
the seventh day of the week, the Jewish Sabbath." {"An- 
cient Christianity Examined," Chapter VI., Section 2.) 

Bishop Taylor: "The Lord's day did not succeed in the 
place of the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was wholly abro- 
gated." ("Ductor Dubitantium," Part I., Book 2, Chap- 
ter II., Rule 6, Section 51.) 

Dr. Francis White: "When the ancient fathers distin- 
guished and gave proper names to the particular days of 
the week, they always style the Saturday, Sabbatum; and 
the Sunday, or first day of the week, Dominicum, the 
Lord's day." {"Treatise on the Sabbath Day," page 202.) 

Let it be firmly borne in mind, therefore, that 
"Sabbath" always has referred to Saturday, does 
now, and always will. "Lord's day," on the other 



182 Adventism and the Bible. 

hand, has never meant anything other than the 
resurrection day. 

V. When the Lord's day was first called "Sab- 
bath." 

Sir William Domville: "Centuries of the Christian era 
passed away before the Sunday was observed by Chris- 
tians as a Sabbath. History does not furnish us a single 
proof or indication that it was at any time so observed 
previous to the sabbatic edict of Constantine, A.D. 321." 
("Examination of the Six Texts," page 291.) 

Let us not misunderstand this passage. Dom- 
ville states that Sunday was not observed "as a 
Sabbath" until after the edict of Constantine. 
Up to that time, as we have seen in the many quo- 
tations that have been given, the first day of the 
week had been observed as the "Lord's day;" but, 
as we have seen elsewhere, Eusebius (A.D. 321) 
"confounded" the two days and taught the erro- 
neous doctrine that the first day of the week had 
taken the place of the Sabbath, hence is the Sab- 
bath. From the time of Eusebius, therefore (and 
this is from the time of Constantine's edict), 
Christians have more or less been confused as to 
the real nature of the first day — whether the day 
is the Sabbath or not. This confounding of the 
Jewish and the Christian terms began, Neander 
tells us, in the days of Tertullian, A.D. 200. 

Adventists, contrary to every principle of fair- 
ness, would have their readers believe that Dom- 
ville teaches that centuries of the Christian era 
passed away before Christians began to observe 
the first day of the week. Such an idea Domville 
did not have in mind. 



Adventism and the Bible. 183 

VI. When the Lord's day ivas first called 
"Christian Sabbath." 

Peter Heylyn: "The first who ever used it ["Christian 
Sabbath"] to denote the Lord's day (the first that I have 
met with in all this search) is one Peterus Alfonsus (he 
lived about the time Rupertus did), who calls the Lord's 
day by the name of 'Christian Sabbath.' " ("History of 
the Sabbath," Part II., Chapter V., Section 13.) 

Rupertus lived about A.D. 1200. 

The first day of the week, therefore, as we have 
now seen, has been known by several different 
titles — to wit: 

1. A.D. 60, "the first day of the week." 

2. A.D. 96, "the Lord's day." 

3. A.D. 140, "the eighth day." 

4. A.D. 321, "the Sabbath" ( ? ) . 

5. A.D. 1200, "Christian Sabbath" (? ). 

But the title given the day by John, the beloved, 
in that book which closes the Divine Volume, to 
which we are not to add and from which we are 
not to take away — that title is the best of all ti- 
tles— "THE LORD'S DAY." 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Advent Sophistry. 



Sophistry is fallacious reasoning, with a con- 
scious intent to mislead. Sophistry, in literature, 
is drawing a blind over the reader's eyes while 
he is hurried by an object that it is desired he 
shall not see. Sophistry is an intent on the part 
of the writer not to play the game fairly and 
squarely. It may mean the overemphasis of mi- 
nor facts or the suppression or elimination of ma- 
jor portions of information. I desire to call the 
reader's attention to the following efforts at fal- 
lacious reasoning: 

1. "Early Apostasy in the Church." 

This is the title of Chapter XII. in Andrew's' 
"History of the Sabbath and First Day of the 
Week." Now, no one denies that there was apos- 
tasy in the early church. Paul foretold the com- 
ing of "wolves" (Acts 20: 29, 30), the rise of the 
"man of sin" (2 Thess. 2: 3, 4, 7, 8), and of men 
who would not "endure sound doctrine" (2 Tim. 
4: 2-4). 

But Andrews makes a big "to do" over this. 
He devotes this entire introductory chapter, 
twelve pages, to proving it. He quotes a score of 
authorities and pictures the situation as some- 
thing awful! Then, at the end of the chapter, 
when the reader is supposed to be worked up to 



Adventism and the Bible. 185 

his highest, Andrews springs the fact that the 
Catholic Church was instrumental in establish- 
ing the first day of the week as the rest day of 
Christians. There is but one conclusion to be 
drawn: Sunday is a child of the apostasy. See 
how easy it is? 

2. The church fathers. 

"Those who govern their lives by the volume of inspi- 
ration do not recognize any authority in these fathers to 
change any precept of that book nor to add any new pre- 
cept to it." ("History of the Sabbath," page 205, Old 
Edition.) 

Certainly not! But suppose the "fathers" 
merely tell of changes that had already taken 
place? Shall we reject their testimonies? That 
is the point exactly. 

3. Methods of observing the Lord's day. 

"What if there be no mention of the change of the 
Sabbath in the New Testament? And what if there be no 
commandment for resting from labor on the first day of 
the week, or what if there be no method revealed in the 
Bible by which the first day of the iveek can be enforced 
by the fourth commandment?" ("History of the Sab- 
bath," page 206.) 

In this Andrews has merely set up a straw man 
in order to knock him over. The assumption that 
the first day of the week is a "Sabbath" is itself a 
fallacy. The first day of the week is the Lord's 
day. This is the truth taught in the Bible, also 
in the "fathers." Saturday is the Sabbath, al- 
ways was, is, and always will be. Andrews for- 
mulates a fallacy, affirms a position that is not 



186 Adventism and the Bible. 

true, and then proceeds to dismiss that which is 
scriptural merely because he is unable to find his 
fallacy mentioned in the Bible. 

Andrews wishes to find in these ''fathers" a 
"method" by which "the first day of the week 
can be enforced by the fourth commandment." 
He is a bit early in his investigations. What he 
needs to do is to dig into the "blue laws" of Vir- 
ginia at the close of the eighteenth century. 
There he will find his foolishness. He insists that 
the old rules, regulations, penalties, and so on, of 
the Sabbath are to be tacked on to the Lord's day. 
If he finds that these old weights are not attached 
to the Lord's day, then he proposes to dismiss 
the Lord's day as being unscriptural. 

The utter foolishness of his contention can be 
seen when we ask this question: Is there a 
"method" in the New Testament by which the 
Lord's Supper can be enforced according to the 
rules of the passover? The new covenant, ac- 
cording to Heb. 13 : 8, is "not according to" the 
old covenant. Hence the rules of the old covenant 
may properly be found wanting in the New Testa- 
ment. 

Speaking of the "fathers," on page 207 of his 
"History," Andrews observes that they never 
"represented the observance of Sunday as an act 
of obedience to the fourth commandment." We 
agree most heartily. Why should they? The ob- 
servance of Sunday is not based on the Deca- 
logue. How long is it going to take to get this 
truth into the minds of men ? Is the Lord's Sup- 



Adventism and the Bible. 187 

per based on the laws of the passover? This is a 
parallel case. 

4. Forgeries. 

Take the case of "Barnabas." Andrews uses 
up three pages of his book proving that the name 
"Barnabas" is a "forgery." Notice that he is not 
attacking the contents of the epistle — only the 
purported author. He uses the same tactics re- 
garding Ignatius, Iranaeus, Dionysius, Theophi- 
lus, Justin Martyr, and Pliny. Take the Shake- 
speare-Bacon controversy as a parallel example. 
In so far as the contents of the plays are con- 
cerned, what matters it whether Shakespeare or 
Bacon wrote the plays bearing Shakespeare's 
name? If it could be found that Bacon, not 
Shakespeare, wrote "Macbeth," for instance, 
would that mean that "Lady Macbeth" never 
lived ? The contention is absurd. 

5. Tertullian and his rules. 

Tertullian, 200 A.D., speaks of Christians as 
observing the following practices: Offerings for 
the dead, neither fasting nor kneeling on the 
Lord's day, the sign of the cross, etc. And then 
he adds : 

"If for these and other such rules you insist upon hav- 
ing positive scripture injunction, you will find none. Tra- 
dition will be held forth to you as the originator of them." 
("History of the Sabbath," pages 22 % 225, Old Edition.) 

Andrews forces Tertullian to say that observ- 
ing the Lord's day was a mere custom based on 
tradition. Certain it is, Andrews knew Tertul- 
lian made no such contention. 

6. Neander. 



188 Adventism and the Bible. 

". . . It was far from the intention of the apostles 
. . . to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday." 
("History of the Sabbath," page 231, Old Edition.) 

In this Neander simply announces himself as 
being against the effort to regulate the practice 
of keeping Sunday by the laws of Moses. "The 
laws of the Sabbath" remain with the Sabbath. 
Sunday has its own laws, which are in keeping 
with other gospel ordinances. For instance, Sun- 
day is not a "feast day." The Sabbath is a feast 
day. There was a penalty for working on the 
Sabbath. There is no such penalty connected 
with Sunday. These are the truths affirmed by 
Neander, whose words are inhumanly handled 
by such men as Andrews. 

The following quotation, taken directly from 
Neander's "Church History," will give his posi- 
tion fully: 

"But as we have already observed in Tertullian a con- 
founding of the Jewish with the Christian view of feasts, 
so we find also in him indications of the transfer of the 
laws of the Sabbath to Sunday; for by him attending to 
any business on Sunday seems to have been regarded as 
sinful." {Volume I., page 295.) 

Andrews omits this passage from his "History 
of the Sabbath." It justifies Neander entirely. 
The short-sightedness of man tells him that if one 
is left to his own judgment as to whether he will 
observe the Lord's day or not, he will not ob- 
serve it. But is it so? Take those States where 
there are no "Sunday laws." Is Sunday violated 
there any more than it is in those that have the 
most rigid laws against Sunday violation? We 



Adventism and the Bible. 189 

answer: Not by those who profess to observe 
the day. Gospel duties, let us remember, are all 
moral obligations. Compulsion is a foreign ele- 
ment in the gospel. It was in evidence in every- 
thing under the old order. President Wilson 
preached a mighty strong gospel principle when, 
in his debate with the Foreign Relations Commit- 
tee in the White House on the League of Nations 
Covenant, he declared that one's "moral duty" is 
far superior to any "legal requirement." This is 
the principle underlying Sunday observance. 

7. Those most ancient Germans. 

"The most ancient Germans being pagans and having 
appropriated their first day of the week to the peculiar 
adoration of the sun, whereof that day doth yet in our 
English tongue retain the name 'Sunday.' " ("Antiqui- 
ties" page 10; London, 1628.) 

This is a famous Advent quotation. Those 
"most ancient Germans" are great "bugaboos," 
indeed ! But here is a very interesting fact : 
Those "most ancient Germans" knew nothing of 
the week until long after Constantine had adopted 
the Lord's day as the legal holiday of the Roman 
empire. Furthermore, Christians knew nothing 
of those "most ancient Germans" till long after 
the same historic act on the part of the Roman 
emperor. Yet Adventists would have us believe 
that Sunday came from these poor, ignorant, 
"most ancient Germans!" 

8. Dr. Peter Heylyn. 

Continually throughout Andrews' "History of 
the Sabbath" Heylyn is held out as a great anti- 



190 Adventism and the Bible. 

Sabbath historian. Yet, for some reason which 
seems strange to the reader, his statements al- 
ways read very much like those of an Adventist. 
Yet he was not an Adventist. The facts in the 
case are as follows: In 1618 James I. was king 
of England. Puritanism had bound every act of 
religion down under the most exacting restric- 
tions. Sunday was a day of soberness and gloom. 
The king was somewhat of a sportsman, and he 
did not like the restrictions that had been placed 
on Sunday. The king, together with the arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, published the "Book of 
Sports for Sunday." This book led to much con- 
troversy as to the nature of the Lord's day. Vol- 
ume after volume was written. The most noted 
of the controversialists involved in the discussion 
was this man "Dr. Peter Heylyn." Andrews 
takes the greatest pleasure in flaunting him be- 
fore his readers on every possible occasion. Hey- 
lyn was a clergyman of the Church of England. 
He took exactly the same position with regard to 
the sacredness of Sunday that Adventists take. 
He held, seemingly for the purpose of complying 
as much as possible with the wishes of the king, 
that there is no divine sanction for the day. Let 
us hope that he was sincere in so contending. 

Domville is another just such writer as Hey- 
lyn. Andrews praises these men as great clergy- 
men of the Church of England, and several times 
points them out as "able anti-Sabbatarian" writ- 
ers. But he might as well quote from the writ- 
ings of Uriah Smith, who was for forty years 



Adventism and the Bible. 191 

editor of the Advent Review and Sabbath Her- 
ald. 

Andrews quotes from Jeremiah Taylor, Morer, 
White, Domville, Cox, and Heylyn; yet not once 
does he tell his readers that, in reality, these men 
were all anti-Sunday writers. They were, essen- 
tially speaking, therefore, Sabbatarians. This, 
in Andrews, is a species of trickery that might 
well be avoided by those who wish to play a fair 
and winning game. 

This chapter is but an introduction to the so- 
phistic methods pursued by all Seventh-Day Ad- 
ventist writers. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



Advent Admissions. 



For ten years J. N. Andrews gathered notes on 
the question of the change of the Sabbath. His 
"History of the Sabbath and First Day of the 
Week" was the result of that labor. The book 
was published in 1873. 

Andrews learned a number of things in the 
course of his investigation of the subject, and he 
was compelled to make certain statements, ad- 
missions, which we desire to consider. 

Victorius, 300 AD. 

"Victorius is the latest of the fathers before Constan- 
tine who offers reasons against the observance of the Sab- 
bath. His first reason is that Christ said by Isaiah that 
his soul hated the Sabbath." (Old Edition, page 289.) 

This was twenty-one years before Constantine 
proclaimed that the first day of the week should 
be observed as a holiday by all his subjects. Ad- 
ventists have long taught that Sunday keeping 
was brought into the Christian church by Con- 
stantine in the year 321 A.D.; but here is an ex- 
ample cited by Andrews himself, twenty-one years 
before Constantine's decree, in which "reasons" 
are formulated "against the observance of the 
Sabbath." We shall note more of these. 



Adventism and the Bible. 193 

"Apostolic Constitutions," A.D. 250. 

"Next in order we quote the so-called 'apostolic consti- 
tutions.' These command Christians to assemble for wor- 
ship every day, 'but principally on the Sabbath day, and 
on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's 
day, meet more diligently, singing praise to God.' " 
("History of the Sabbath" pages 289, 290.) 

This was seventy-one years before Constantine 
issued his decree making the first day of the week 
a legal holiday throughout his empire. Here it is 
stated that Christians were meeting for worship 
on the Sabbath days, but "more diligently" "on 
the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the 
Lord's day." 

Cyprian, A.D. 248. 

"Cyprian is the next Father who gives an argument 
for the Sunday festival. . . . Thus he says: 'The 
eighth day — that is, the first day after the Sabbath — was 
to be that on which the Lord was to rise again.' " (Id., 
page 293.) 

This was seventy-three years before Constan- 
tine issued his decree which made the first day 
of the week a legal holiday throughout the em- 
pire, and which commanded pagans to unite with 
Christians in observing the day ; and here we find 
a church "father" making "an argument for the 
Sunday festival." This Andrews admits. 

Origen, A.D. 225. 

"Following Tertullian, who gives scripture evidence in 
support of the Sunday festival," etc. (Id., page 293.) 

This was ninety-one years before Constantine 
issued his decree making the first day of the week 

13 



194 Adventism and the Bible. 

a legal holiday throughout the empire; and here, 
according to the admission of Andrews, we find 
a church "father" "giving scripture evidence in 
support of the Sunday festival." 

Tertullian, A.D. 200. 

"Tertullian describes Sunday observance as follows: 
'We devote Sunday to rejoicing.' " (Id., page 287.) 

This was one hundred and twenty-one years 
before Constantine issued his famous Sunday 
edict. Hence, four generations before Constan- 
tine's time, we find a church "father" writing 
that it was customary for him and his brethren 
to "devote Sunday to rejoicing." 

Clement, A.D. 194. 

"Clement, of Alexandria, appears to treat solely of a 
mystical eighth day, or Lord's day. It is perhaps possi- 
ble that he has reference to Sunday." (Id., page 292.) 

This is one hundred and twenty-seven years 
before the time of Constantine; yet here we find 
a church "father" writing of Sunday as "the 
Lord's day." This Andrews admits. 

Syrian Documents, A.D. 180. 

"The writer of the Syrian documents concerning 
Edessa . . . defines the services of Sunday as fol- 
lows: 'On the first (day) of the week let there be service, 
and the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the oblation." 
(Id., page 291.) 

This was one hundred and forty-one years be- 
fore the time of Constantine's decree making 
Sunday a holiday throughout the Roman empire. 
This decree compelled pagans to refrain from 



Adventism and the Bible. 195 

labor on the first day of the week. At this dis- 
tant date we find Christians admonished to meet 
"on the first day of the week" for the "reading 
of the Holy Scriptures and the oblation." And 
this was in Syria, not Rome! This is admitted 
by Andrews. 

Bardesanes, A.D. 180. 

"Bardesanes represented the Christians as everywhere 
meeting for worship on that day." ("History of the Sab- 
bath," page 286.) 

This was one hundred and forty-one years be- 
fore the time of Constantine and his decree. 
Christians "everywhere" were meeting for wor- 
ship on the first day of the week. 

Irenwus, A.D. 167. 

"Irenasus taught that to commemorate the resurrection, 
the knee must not be bent on that day." (Id., page 286.) 

This was one hundred and fifty-four years be- 
fore Constantine issued his decree setting Sun- 
day apart as a holiday throughout his empire; 
and at this distant date Christians everywhere 
were coming together regularly for the purpose 
of commemorating the resurrection on the first 
day of the week. 

Justin Martyr, A.D. 140. 

Justin Martyr describes the kind of meeting which 
they held at Rome and in the vicinity on that day." (Id., 
page 286.) 

This was one hundred and eighty-one years be- 
fore Constantine issued his decree making Sun- 
day a legal holiday throughout the Roman em- 



196 Adventism and the Bible. 

pire. Andrews says Justin "describes the kind 
of meetings which they held at Rome and in that 
vicinity on that day." But he does something 
more than that. Turning back to page 269 of his 
"History of the Sabbath," we find Justin's words. 
These are from his "Apology," which was ad- 
dressed to the rulers of the empire. Speaking of 
Christian practices, he said : 

"And upon the day called 'Sunday' all that live in city 
or country meet together at the same place, where the 
writings of the apostles and prophets are read as much as 
time will give leave. . . . The bishop makes a ser- 
mon. ... At the conclusion we all rise up and pray. 
There is bread and wine and water offered; . . . 
prayers and thanksgiving. . . . Then the consecrated 
elements are distributed ... by the hands of the 
deacons. . . . The wealthy and willing contribute as 
they think fitting, . . . Sunday, ... in which 
Christ, our Savior, rose again from the dead." ("His- 
tory of the Sabbath," page 269.) 

This was not an effort on the part of Justin to 
tell how the day was observed "at Rome," as An- 
drews avers, but how it was observed by Chris- 
tians. Justin lived at Rome, it is true; but he 
traveled extensively, hence spoke as he should 
have in such a work as his "Apology" of the 
practice of all Christians. And this was one hun- 
dred and eighty-one years before Constantine is- 
sued his decree making Sunday a legal holiday 
throughout the Roman empire. 

Barnabas, A.D. 120. 

"The epistle falsely ascribed to Barnabas simply says: 
'We keep the eighth day with joyfulness.' " {Id., page 
286.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 197 

This was two hundred and one years before 
Constantine issued his decree making Sunday a 
legal holiday throughout the Roman empire. 

On page 301 of Andrews' "History of the Sab- 
bath" he makes the statement that "the writer 
called 'Barnabas' did not keep the seventh day." 
Indeed ! For Barnabas states plainly that he 
kept "the eighth day with joyfulness." 

Pliny, A.D. 104. 

"They met on a certain stated day, before it was light, 
and addressed themselves in a form of prayer to Christ, 
as to some god, . . . and then reassembled to eat in 
common a harmless meal." (Id., page 237.) 

Andrews denies that this was on the Lord's 
day; but he admits that Christians, in the days 
of Justin Martyr, met for this same kind of serv- 
ice on the first day of the week — only thirty-six 
years later than Pliny's time. Compare the two 
accounts : 

PLINY. JUSTIN MARTYR. 

1. "Meet together. 1. "Meet together." 

2. "Sing a hymn to Christ." 2. ^his is understood.) 

3. (Understood.) 3. 'Writings of apostles are 

read." 

4. (Understood.) 4. "And prayers." 

5. "Common, but innocent, 5. "The consecrated elements." 

meal." 

6. (Understood.) 6. "Contribute." 

7. "A stated day." 7. "Upon Sunday we all assem- 

ble." 

John, the Beloved, A.D. 96. 

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." (Rev. 1: 10.) 

No- Adventist speaks of the Sabbath as the 
"Lord's day." No church historian has ever 
spoken of the Sabbath as the "Lord's day." But 



198 Adventism and the Bible. 

the first day of the week, the resurrection day, 
down through the ages, has uniformly been 
spoken of by this title. This Andrews himself 
admits. Thus : 

"It is not till A.D. 194 . . . that we meet the first 
instance in which Sunday is called the 'Lord's day.' " 
("History of the Sabbath," page 219.) 

"Tertullian is the next writer who uses the term 'Lord's 
day.' He defines his meaning and fixes the name upon the 
day of Christ's resurrection." {Id., page 223.) 

Andrews is very bold in stating that in the year 
194 A.D. "Sunday is called the 'Lord's day/" 
This he admits is genuine. And, six years later, 
Tertullian "fixes the name upon the day of 
Christ's resurrection." 

j THE "LORD'S DAY," THEREFORE, IS ) 
{ THE DAY OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. \ 

First-Day Observance. 

Elder Andrews, after he gets started, usually 
makes good headway admitting truths. After 
admitting all any one ever claimed for the Lord's 
day, he gratuitously throws in a statement bear- 
ing heavily on the antiquity of the observance of 
the first day of the week by Christians. It is this : 

"First-day observance can be traced no nearer to apos- 
tolic times than A.D. 140." ("History of the Sabbath," 
page 285.) 

No one cares to trace the observance of the 
first day of the week by Christians any nearer to 
apostolic times than A.D. 140. Adventists long 
have contended that the Sabbath was observed 



Adventism and the Bible. 199 

down to A.D. 321, when Constantine put an end 
to Sabbath observance and instituted the observ- 
ance of the first day of the week instead. 

From this it seems that Adventists have been 
missing the truth concerning this matter all these 
years by the space of one hundred and eighty-one 
years ! Elder Andrews, in this statement, cer- 
tainly confesses that "the first-day observance 
can be traced . . . to . . . A.D. 140." 
Fifty-four years later, as he freely confesses, the 
day thus observed was commonly termed the 
"Lord's day." Hence the Lord's day can be un- 
questionably traced to the year A.D. 140, and it 
is always connected with the observance of the 
first day of the week. And thus it is that the 
first day of the week and the "Lord's day" go 
hand in hand — and become one. 

Justin Martyr, in A.D. 140, used the expres- 
sion "Lord's day" without stating what day he 
was speaking of. Tertullian, A.D. 194, explains 
that the Lord's day was the first day. This An- 
drews admits. 

Just so: 

Luke, in Acts 20: 7, uses the expression, "the 
first day of the week," without giving the day 
any name; and in A.D. 96 John names a day of 
worship "the Lord's day," without stating which 
one of the days he had reference to. From our 
viewpoint it seems that these two cases are par- 
allel, and the one makes clear the other. 



200 Adventism and the Bible. 

We have traced the first day, the Lord's day, 
back to apostolic times, and in the authentic and 
standard works of Adventists. 

The Fathers Neglected the Sabbath. 

"The reason offered by the early fathers for neglecting 
the observance of the Sabbath shows conclusively that 
they had no special light on the subject by reason of their 
living in the first centuries which we in this later age do 
not possess." ("History of the Sabbath," page 310.) 

Here Elder Andrews freely admits that the 
"early fathers" neglected "the observance of the 
Sabbath," and he tells us that he is speaking of 
those of the fathers who lived "in the first cen- 
turies." It is evident, therefore, that the ob- 
servance of the Sabbath was actually neglected 
in the very first centuries. Justin Martyr gave 
a number of "reasons for not observing the Sab- 
bath." (''History of the Sabbath," page 303.) 
He gave "reasons for rejecting the ancient Sab- 
bath." (Id., page 306.) "Justin seems to have 
heartily despised the sabbatic institution." {Id., 
page 306.) 

Justin's ability to defend his practice of not 
observing the Sabbath is set forth in his master- 
ful debate with Trypho, the Jew; and that, re- 
member, was in the early days of 140 A.D. 

Christians Kept Both Days. 

"The first Christians assembled ... on the first 
day of the week; and, in some places, they assembled also 
on the seventh, which was celebrated by the Jews." 
(Mosheim's "Church History," Cent. 2, Part 2, Chapter 
IV., Paragraph 8.) 



Adventism and the Bible. 201 

"In several of the Eastern churches the Sabbath was 
celebrated nearly after the same manner as Sunday." 
(Neander's "Church History," Volume II., page 297, 
Eighth American Edition.) 

"Those churches, however, which were composed of 
Jewish Christians admitted, with the rest, the festival of 
Sunday, yet retained that also of the Sabbath." (Nean- 
der, Volume I., page 296.) 

We find that Andrews' witnesses testify to the 
same effect. Thus: 

"Apostolic Constitutions :" "Keep the Sabbath and the 
Lord's-day festival, because the former is the memorial 
of creation and the latter of the resurrection." ("His- 
tory of the Sabbath," page 329.) 

Morer: "The primitive Christians had a great vener- 
ation for the Sabbath, . . . keeping both that day 
and the first day of the week." (Id., 334.) 

Giesler: "The seventh day of the week was also ob- 
served ... by such churches only as were princi- 
pally composed of Jewish converts." (Id., page 335.) 

Coleman states that "the last day of the week," 
as well as "the first day," was observed for some 
time after the overthrow of the temple worship. 
(Id., page 336.) Brerewood testifies that "the an- 
cient Sabbath," together with the "Lord's day," 
was observed by churches of "the East" for three 
hundred years after the Savior's death. {Id., page 
3Jf2.) The Encyclopedia Britannica states that 
Christians observed "the Jewish Sabbath, as well 
as Sunday — both to justify the law of Moses and 
to imitate the apostles, who met together on the 
first day of the week." (Id., page 3^3.) 



202 Adventism and the Bible. 

Saturday a Fast Day. 
The question arises: In what way was Satur- 
day observed, and in what respect did its observ- 
ance differ from that of the observance of the 
first day of the week? We shall again allow 
Elder Andrews' witnesses to tell us : 

William James: "The Western church began to fast on 
Saturday at the beginning of the third century." ("His- 
tory of the Sabbath," page 282.) 

Neander: "In the Western churches, particularly in 
the Roman, where opposition to Judaism was the prevail- 
ing tendency, this very opposition produced the custom 
of celebrating the Saturday in particular as a fast day." 
(Id., page 283.) 

Dr. Charles Hase: "The Roman regarded Saturday as 
a fast day. . . . Sunday remained a joyful festival." 
(Id., page 283.) 

This makes it clear in what respect both days 
were observed. It is not a surprise that the 
churches of the East — churches that were com- 
posed principally of Jews — continued the observ- 
ance of the Sabbath for some time. But these 
churches even, so the historians tell us, did not 
fail to observe the Lord's day at the same time. 
In the West, where Judaism was practically un- 
known, the Sabbath was not introduced, hence 
not observed. But the churches of the West, out 
of a certain respect for their Eastern brethren, 
set the Sabbath apart as a fast day, this seeming 
more appropriate to them, since the Lord lay 
shrouded in darkness on that day. . 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Constantine's Sunday Law and the 
Mark of the Beast. 



In the Albuquerque Morning Journal, Albu- 
querque, N. M., May 27, 1917, appeared this 
statement : . 

"For the observance of the first day of the week as a 
holy day we are indebted to a decree of the Eastern em- 
peror, Constantine the Great." 

This is from an editorial. While it is a gross 
error, it serves to show how Adventism has be- 
muddled the minds of thinking men on the ques- 
tion of Constantine's Sunday edict. 

The following is a copy of Constantine's de- 
cree that is generally known as his "Sunday 
law:" 

"Constantine, Emperor Augustus, to Helpidus: On the 
venerable day of the sun let the magistrates and people 
residing in cities rest and let all workshops be closed. In 
the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may 
freely and lawfully continue their pursuits, because it 
often happens that another day is not so suitable for 
grain sowing or for vine planting, lest, by neglecting the 
proper moment for such operations, the bounty of heaven 
should be lost. (Given the seventh day of March, Crispus 
and Constantine being consuls each of them for the sec- 



204 Adventism and the Bible. 

ond time.)" (Schaff's "History of the Christian Church" 
Volume III.) 

Dr. Schaff gives the Latin from which this se- 
lection is an exact translation. The decree may 
be found also in Jones' "The Two Republics," 
page 312. 

For some years after becoming an Adventist 
I remained of the persuasion that Constantine the 
Great, in the year 321 A.D., commanded that a 
festival of paganism be observed by Christians 
on each first day of the week. Such, as I under- 
stood it, was the meaning of his "Sunday law." 
And Adventists believe that very thing to this 
day. Who has not heard the Advent preacher 
tell his audience from night to night that it was 
Constantine who gave Sunday sacredness to the 
Christian church? And who has not read in 
their literature that Sunday came from pagan- 
ism? 

We call upon the following prominent writers 
to bear us out in this statement : 

A. T. Jones. 

"As we have seen by many proofs, one of the first aims 
of the apostate church was the exaltation of Sunday as 
the chief sacred day. . . . Accordingly, March 7, A.D. 
321, Constantine issued his famous Sunday edict." {"The 
Tivo Republics," page 311.) 

J. N. Andrews. 

"This extraordinary edict of Constantine's caused 
Sunday to be observed with greater solemnity than it had 
formerly been. Yet we have the most indubitable proof 
that this was a heathen enactment. . . . Paganism 



Adventism and the Bible. 205 

had prepared the institution from ancient days, and had 
now elevated it to supreme power." ("History of the 
Sabbath," pages 346, 350.) 

The careful reader will be able to detect a cer- 
tain pricking of the conscience of Elder Andrews 
as he penned these statements. They are wholly 
artificial. They do not flow spontaneously out of 
his heart. He readily admits that "Sunday had 
formerly been observed" even before this "ex- 
traordinary edict" of Constantine had been is- 
sued. Note the discrimination between "heathen 
institution" and "Christian festival." 

J. H. Waggoner. 

"It is a fact that the observance of Sunday as a day of 
rest from secular employment is distinctly and only of 
pagan origin." ("Wag goner -V o gel Debate.") 

M. C. Wilcox. 

"Belief in Sunday sacredness was one of those errors 
which early crept into the church. It may all be summed 
up in this, that it was brought in by half-converted 
heathen philosophers and teachers and half-converted 
hordes of heathen." ("The Lord's Day the Test of the 
Ages," page 90.) 

Well ! Sunday sacredness was brought into the 
Christian church by "half-converted heathen 
philosophers," also by "half-converted hordes of 
heathen." Such a sweeping statement! Con- 
stantine, then, did not bring it into the church. 
Error has such a queer way of cornering itself. 
This is what Mr. Wilcox has done. 



206 



Adventism and the Bible. 



Mrs. Ellen G. White. 

"Constantine, while still 
a heathen, issued a decree 
enjoining the general ob- 
servance of Sunday as a 
public festival throughout 
the Roman empire. After 
his conversion he remained 
a stanch advocate of Sun- 
day, and his pagan edict 
was then enforced by him 
in the interest of his new 
faith. ... A few years 
after the issue of Constan- 
tine's decree the bishop of 
Rome conferred on the Sun- 
day the title of 'Lord's 
day.' " ("Great Contro- 
versy," Old Edition, page 
55.) 



"In the early part of the 
fourth century the emperor 
Constantine issued a decree 
making Sunday a public 
festival throughout the Ro- 
man empire. The day of 
the sun was reverenced by 
his pagan subjects and hon- 
ored by Christians. It was 
the emperor's policy to 
unite the conflicting inter- 
ests of heathenism and 
Christianity. He was urged 
to do this by the bishops of 
the church." ("Great Con- 
troversy," Revised Edition, 
page 53.) 



After Mrs. White's blue pencil had done its 
work, there remained just this much of the fore- 
going quotation from the old edition of "Contro- 
versy:" "Constantine . . . issued a decree 
. . . Sunday as a public festival throughout 
the Roman empire. . . ," Evidently this is 
all the truth the old statement contained ! The 
errors she marked out are these: "While still a 
heathen, . . . enjoining the general observ- 
ance of Sunday, . . . after his conversion, 
etc., ... his pagan edict, etc., . . . the 
bishop of Rome conferred on the Sunday the title 
of 'Lord's day.' " And in the revised statement 
she adds the following instead of the errors which 
she marked out: 



Adventism and the Bible. 207 

"The day . . . was honored by Christians. . . . 
He was urged to do this by the bishops of the church." 

Mrs. White's complete statement of Constan- 
tine's famous "Sunday law," therefore, is as fol- 
lows: 

" 'Const antine was not a heathen when he issued his 
Sunday edict. The edict did not enjoin the observance of 
a pagan institution. He was already converted. The 
bishop of Rome did not confer on the day the title of 
'Lord's day.' Sunday was already being observed by 
Christians when Constantine issued his edict. Christian 
bishops, not pagan priests, urged him to pass the law." 

This is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
but the truth, so help me God ! There could not 
be a more concise statement of the question, and 
we feel like passing our thanks along to Mrs. 
White for deciding to make the correction. 

The Mark of the Beast. 

Now, strange as it may seem to the reader, 
Constantine's Sunday edict is the Advent founda- 
tion for their "scarecrow" generally known as 
"the mark of the beast." Roman Catholicism, so 
the Adventists have long contended, laid its hands 
on Sunday, the first day of the week, a pagan fes- 
tival, and brought it into the church. In keeping 
this festival, therefore, one acknowledges the 
power of Romanism. The Roman Church, so Ad- 
ventism teaches, made the power to change God's 
laws its mark. In bringing Sunday into the 
church from paganism, and at the same time set- 
ting aside the Sabbath, Rome thereby established 
her power. Hence keeping Sunday is an evidence 



208 Adventism and the Bible. 

that one is bowing to Rome. Thus it is that Sun- 
day is the "mark" of Rome; and as Rome is the 
"beast," Sunday keeping is the "mark of the 
beast." 

The fallacy lurking under this pagan-Sunday 
question is easily discernible. During the first 
centuries of the Christian church, pagans, more 
or less (and generally less), held certain feasts 
ANNUALLY, as Tertullian has repeatedly in- 
formed us, in honor of the sun. The first day of 
the week was named by the pagans of ancient 
Germany for the sun. Christians, on the other 
hand, held certain services WEEKLY, as Tertul- 
lian, Justin Martyr, and others clearly point out 
— not in honor of the sun, but in honor of Christ. 
The day on which Christians held their services 
happened to be the day that was named after the 
sun — the first day of the week. But the serv- 
ices held by Christians on the first day of the 
week were held "FROM A FAR DIFFERENT 
REASON THAN SUN WORSHIP," as Tertul- 
lian informed the Roman rulers. Christians held 
their services in honor of their resurrected Lord. 
The idea of sun worship was no more in their 
services than the idea of uniting with the Jews 
in their Sabbath services was in the festivals held 
by the Romans on the day of Saturn. 

The Mark op the Beast Has Not Been 
Received. 
It may be a revelation to a number of my Ad- 
vent readers for me to state that there is not a 
living man or woman who is now wearing the 



Adventism and the Bible. 209 

"mark of the beast." Nor has one ever worn it. 
I am going to prove this assertion by "Sister 
White." Thus : 

"Christians of past generations observed the first day 
of the week, supposing that they were keeping the Bible 
Sabbath, and there are in the churches of to-day many 
who honestly believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of di- 
vine appointment. Not one of these have received the 
mark of the beast. . . . The test upon this question 
does not come until Sunday observance is enforced by law 
and the world is enlightened concerning the obligation of 
the true Sabbath. Not until the issue is thus plainly set 
before the people, and they are brought to choose between 
the commandments of God and the commandments of men, 
will those who continue in transgression receive the mark 
of the beast." ("Great Controversy," Old Edition, page 
282.) 

Now, evidently, "the test" of "Sunday observ- 
ance" has not yet come. Neither has "Sunday 
observance" been "enforced by law." Neither 
has "the world" been "enlightened concerning 
the obligation of the true Sabbath." The "issue" 
has not "thus plainly" been "set before the peo- 
ple." Neither have they been "brought to 
choose" between Sunday observances and Satur- 
day observances. Hence, if these things never 
come to pass, it is certain that all of us must 
"continue in transgression," yet without receiv- 
ing the "mark of the beast." 

It may be some consolation, however, such as 
it is, for the reader to know that this selection 
was censored from the new editions of the 
"Great Controversy." The revised edition does 
not contain it. 
14 



210 Adventism and the Bible. 

We are now prepared to see on what ground 
rests the contention that Constantine introduced 
Sunday worship into the church from paganism.. 
He did nothing of the kind. The bishops of the 
church, after his conversion to Christianity, 
urged him to pass a law requiring his pagan sub- 
jects to refrain from labor on the first day of the 
week. This was done in the interests of the 
faith — so that Christians assembled for worship 
should not be disturbed by the usual traffic of a 
working day; so that soldiers, slaves, and others 
might be released from their duties on this day 
for the purpose of attending divine service. Con- 
stantine's Sunday law was the same kind that is 
in force in many States of our country to-day. 
It was a civil statute, not religious. It was the 
pagan who stopped working on the day, not the 
Christian. Thus was paganism recognizing a 
Christian custom, not Christianity bowing to a 
pagan festival. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



The Sure Word of Prophecy. 



Adventists are opposed to any theory that looks 
forward to permanent peace among the nations 
of earth. They are continually looking for the 
worst to turn up. Instead of reading in the word 
of Holy Writ that we are sweeping on from 
"grace to glory," they construe it that we are 
plunging on from bad to worse. Instead of the 
plan of the ages revealing a process of slow de- 
velopment that might be expected, they have it 
that there is no plan of the ages; that the old 
world is tumbling with momentum of its own 
weight fast into the abyss, from which it will be 
able to rise only after it shall have been purified 
by the fires of the last day. Whether this view 
of things is correct or not, it is our aim in the 
present chapter to make an effort to determine. 

"Neither Shall They Learn War Any More." 

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw 
concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall 
come to pass in the last days, that the mountain 
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top 
of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the 
hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 
many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us 
go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house 



212 Adventism and the Bible. 

of the God of Jacob ; and he will teach us of his 
ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of 
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the 
Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among 
the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and 
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and 
their spears into pruning hooks : nation shall not 
lift up sword against nation, neither shall they 
learn war any more!' (Isa. 2: 1-4.) 

This prophecy was written seven hundred 
years before the time of Christ. It is a prophecy 
that war, finally, will be driven from the earth. 
The movement against war, as is foretold in this 
passage, began with that period called in the pas- 
sage the "last days." Evidently all will agree to 
the following arrangement of the facts : 

1. Some facts clearly stated. 

(1) That Jehovah gave this vision to Isaiah. 

(2) That these things were to come to pass "in 
the last days." 

(3) That in the coming to pass of these things 
the "mountain of the house of the Lord" would 
play a part. 

(4) That this mountain of the house of the 
Lord was to be established in the top of the moun- 
tains. 

(5) That it was to be exalted above the hills. 

(6) That all nations were to flow unto it. 

(7) That many people were to say certain 
things. 

2. What the people were to say. 



Adventism and the Bible. 213 

(1) "Come ye, and let us go up to the moun- 
tain of the Lord." 

(2) "He will teach us of his ways." 

(3) "Out of Zion shall go forth the law." 

(4) "We will walk in his paths." 

(5) "And the word of the Lord [shall go 
forth] from Jerusalem." 

3. What Jehovah, through the prophet, says. 

(1) "He [Jehovah] shall judge among the na- 
tions." 

(2) "And shall rebuke many people." 

(3) "And they shall beat their swords into 
plowshares." 

(4) "And their spears into pruning hooks." 

(5) "Nation shall not lift up sword against 
nation." 

(6) "And neither shall they learn war any 
more." 

Where Adventists make their mistake is in 
having the people say both verse 3 and verse 4. 
As a matter of fact, the people speak in verse 3 
and the prophet speaks in verse 4. Proof posi- 
tive for this assertion is found in the pronouns 
of the two verses. "Us," "us," and "we" of verse 
3, where the people speak, are seen to contrast 
with "they," "their," and "they" of verse 4, where 
the Lord, through the prophet, speaks. 





Who Speaks? 




Verse 3 




Verse 4 


The People 




The Prophet 


"us" 




"they" 


"us" 




"their" 


"we" 




"they" 



214 Adventism and the Bible. 

"The Last Days." 

This was to come to pass "in the last days." 
When are "the last days?" Or when is the pe- 
riod of time here spoken of as "the last days?" 
Joel 2: 28 contains a prophecy of an outpouring 
of the Spirit of God that was to come to pass 
"afterwards." Peter, speaking in Acts 2: 14, 
says Joel's prophecy was fulfilled on the first Pen- 
tecost after the resurrection of Christ. Peter 
also reads "last days" for "afterwards," as in 
Joel. Thus it is seen at once that "the last days" 
and the first Pentecost after the resurrection of 
Christ are synonymous terms. 

The following facts stand out as unmovable in 
the passage quoted from Isaiah : 

1. The church of Christ was established above 
the possibility of attack. 

2. This was done on the first Pentecost after 
the resurrection of Christ. 

3. "Last days" is the prophetic name for "Pen- 
tecost," the first Pentecost after Christ. 

4. All nationalities began on that date to grav- 
itate toward the church of Christ. 

5. A movement began at that time against war. 

"In the Days of These Kings." 
About six hundred years before Christ, Neb- 
uchadnezzar, king of Babylon, ruled the world. 
One night he had a wonderful dream. This 
dream is recorded in Dan. 2: 31-35. Daniel, a 
young Hebrew captive then in the king's courts, 
interpreted the dream after the wise men of 



Adventism and the Bible. 215 

Babylon failed to do so. The interpretation is 
found in Dan. 2 : 36-44. 

The king dreamed that he saw an image with 
a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, sides 
and belly of brass, and legs of iron and clay. 
Daniel interpreted these four divisions to repre- 
sent four kingdoms, with Babylon as the head 
kingdom. 

Babylon— the head— 608 to 538 B.C. 
Medo-Persia— the breast— 538 to 331 B.C. 
Greece— the belly— 331 to 168 B.C. 
Rome— the legs— 168 B.C. to 476 A.D. 

The Stone Kingdom. 

Daniel saw a stone smite the image on the feet 
— Rome. The four kingdoms were disintegrated, 
and the stone became a great kingdom and filled 
all the earth. (Dan. 2: 44.) Rome was ruling 
when Christ was born. (Luke 2: 1.) Edward 
Gibbon points out that "the images of the gold, 
or silver, or brass'' that might well represent the 
other nations, "were successively broken by the 
IRON monarchy of Rome." (''Decline and Fall 
of the Roman Empire," Volume II., page 621*.) 

Simultaneously with the Roman decree that 
"all the world" should be taxed, John the Baptist 
sent out his call for "the kingdom of heaven." 
(Matt. 3: 1, 2.) Six months later the Lord him- 
self began to preach the same message. (Matt. 
4: 17.) Some months later the seventy special 
apostles carried a similar message. (Matt. 10: 
5-10.) 

John made "straight" the way for the Lord. 



216 Adventism and the Bible. 

(John 1 : 24 ; Luke 3 : 1-6.) Jesus came later and 
built his church. (Matt. 16: 16-18.) The church 
having been made ready, its door was opened, 
and the first converts were admitted on that 
memorable first Pentecost after Christ's resurrec- 
tion. It was then that the kingdom came — came 
with ''power" and the Holy Spirit. (Mark 9:1; 
Acts 1: 8.) 

Just before Jesus was crucified Joseph was 
"looking for the kingdom." (Luke 24: 50.) 
Immediately after his crucifixion the disciples 
asked if he, at that time, would "restore the king- 
dom." (Acts 1: 7.) During this period he 
spent his time "speaking the things concerning 
the kingdom." (Acts 1: 3.) But after the day 
of Pentecost we find Christians had been "trans- 
lated" into the "kingdom of his dear Son." (Col. 
1: 13.) Also we find John, on Patmos, "in the 
kingdom." (Rev. 1: 5.) We are also taught 
that our Lord, at that time, was reigning as King 
over the kingdom. (1 Cor. 15: 24, 25.) And he 
will continue to reign as Priest-King, after the 
order of Melchizedek, until the end, when he shall 
surrender the kingdom to the Father. (Matt. 
13: 43.) 

Our Lord himself pointed out that he was the 
"stone tvhich the builders rejected" (Matt. 21: 
42) ; and, in Peter's way of putting it, he is not 
only the corner stone of the building, the church, 
but he is a "living stone," and each of us is a 
"lively" stone (1 Pet. 2: 4, 5). The kingdom of 



Adventism and the Bible. 217 

Christ, therefore, in the earth is a stone kingdom. 
This is the meaning of the stone which Daniel 
saw smite the image on its feet. 

The Seed of the Woman. 
The first promise to fallen man was that "the 
seed of the woman" was to bruise the head of the 
serpent. (Gen. 3: 15.) This promise, repeated 
to Abraham, included a "land" clause; also that 
Abraham was to be the father of "a" nation. 
(Gen. 12: 2.) The new covenant is recognized 
in the promise to Abraham that he was to be a 
blessing to "all the nations of the earth." (Gen. 
18: 18.) The nations were to gather unto "Shi- 
loh" when he came. (Gen. 49: 10.) A "star" 
was to rise out of Jacob. (Num. 24: 17.) Da- 
vid was promised that his seed should forever 
occupy the throne. (1 Kings 2:4.) There were 
seventeen kings that sat on the throne of Israel, 
the throne of David. The last one was Zedekiah, 
who was reigning when God gave the Jews to 
Nebuchadnezzar. He was dethroned, and the king- 
dom was overturned, overturned, and overturned, 
and was "no more" until He came whose right the 
kingdom was, and then it was given to him. 
(Ezek. 21: 25-27.) The one who had the right 
to the throne of David was Christ. (Luke 1:31- 
33.) The wise men said Christ was "born King." 
(Matt. 2: 2.) But they were mistaken. "To 
this end" was he born, as he told Pilate. (John 
18: 37.) But, at that time, he confessed that his 
kingdom is not of this world — that is, the literal 



218 Adventism and the Bible. 

throne of David is no more. Cnrist rules and 
reigns to-day on the spiritual throne. He was 
made King after he was "begotten" from the 
dead. (Acts 13: 33; Ps. 2: 7.) At that time 
Jehovah called him "MY KING." (Ps. 2: 6.) 
He was crowned on Zion. Zion is the New Jeru- 
salem. (Rev. 14: 1; Heb. 12: 18.) At the time 
he was crowned King the "law" went forth, "the 
decree" was declared. (Ps. 2: 6.) The new law 
was, therefore, given from Zion, not Sinai. (Heb. 
12: 18.) 

Four Phases of the Kingdom. 

The kingdom of God has been in the world ever 
since the day that sin entered the world. Where 
sin abounds, the grace of God does much more 
abound. (Rom. 5: 20.) And grace has a 
throne. (Heb. 4: 16.) A throne presupposes a 
kingdom ; hence the kingdom administering grace 
has been in the world since sin came into the 
world. And it is not the kingdom "of grace," ei- 
ther. It is simply "the kingdom" administering 
grace. 

The kingdom of heaven on earth is now in its 
third stage. It adapts itself to the changing con- 
ditions of the people of God. Back in the days of 
the patriarchs the kingdom had not revealed it- 
self in any certain form to man. In the days of 
Moses it took on concrete form. Now it is a real 
thing, and finally it is to become an eternal fact. 
Thus the kingdom, in its evolving nature, is capa- 
ble of expressing itself in four different forms : 



Adventism and the Bible. 219 

1. As a shadow — from creation to the exodus. 

2. As a type — from the exodus to Christ. 

3. As a spiritual reality — now. 

4. As an eternal fact — finally. 

This view also clears up some very ugly con- 
flicts in the kingdom question. John 3: 5 de- 
clares that when one is born again he automat- 
ically enters the kingdom; and 2 Pet. 2: 11 de- 
clares with equal clearness that we will be given 
an entrance into the kingdom at the end of the 
world. There are other passages in plenty on 
each side. The truth of the matter is that the 
first three phases are all temporal, changing. 
The only permanent form of the kingdom is the 
fourth. Those of us who have been tested in the 
third phase and found worthy will be given an en- 
trance into the fourth, or final, phase. That is 
the "eternal" phase of the kingdom. The king- 
dom here now is the temporal phase of the one 
kingdom. There can be but one kingdom of God, 
even as there is but one God. 

The Last Days. 

Much confusion has resulted from a clouded 
understanding of the meaning of these words. 
We consider them under the following four 
heads: 

1. As used in the Old Testament. 

Num. 24: 14. "Latter days." Here Balaam 
spoke of some things that were to happen to the 
Moabites in the latter time of their existence. 



220 Adventism and the Bible. 

Num. 4: 30. "Latter days." It is here used 
as the end of Israel's wandering off from God. 

Deut. 31: 29. "Latter days." Same as Num. 
4: 30. 

Jer. 23 : 20. "Latter days." Same as Deut. 31 : 
29. 

Dan. 2 : 28. "Latter days." It is here used as 
the end of the Babylonian monarchy. 

Dan. 10 : 14. "Latter days." This is a vision 
that was to have its application in the "latter 
days," doubtless in the end of their captivity in 
Babylon. 

From these passages we draw the conclusion, 
without fear of being mistaken, that the expres- 
sion, "latter days," as used in the Old Testament, 
means at the end of whatever time is being 
spoken of. 

2. As used in prophecy. 

Isa. 2 : 2-4. "Latter days." This is the proph- 
ecy already considered regarding the mountain 
of the Lord's house being established in the top 
of the mountains. We shall not say what it here 
means until we have considered the following 
passages : 

Joel 2 : 28. "Afterwards." It was to come to 
pass afterwards that the Lord would pour out of 
his Spirit on all flesh and many should prophesy. 

Acts 2: 14-17. "Last days." Here Peter in- 
forms us that Joel's use of "afterwards" is equiv- 
alent to "last days." Thus he says Joel meant by 
"afterwards" the first Pentecost after Christ. 

Hence, in prophecy, Old Testament prophecy, 



Adventism and the Bible. 221 

"last days" means that period of time beginning 
with the first Pentecost after Christ. This pe- 
riod, in reality, was the end of the existence of 
the Israelites as God's people. 

3. As used in the New Testament. 

2 Pet. 3: 3. "Last days." Peter evidently 
uses the expression here as referring to the end of 
the age. 

2 Tim. 3 : 1. "Last days." Paul uses it in the 
same way. 

Heb. 1 : 2. "These last days." Paul here rec- 
ognizes the numerical value of the expression. 
He thus applies it to a period of time. 

James 5 : 3. "Last days." James uses it in the 
same way that Peter uses it — as the end of the 
age. 

This is sufficient to show that the New Testa- 
ment writers agree with Isa. 2:2; Joel 2 : 28 ; and 
Acts 2: 14-17 that the period of time beginning 
with the first Pentecost after the resurrection of 
Christ is known as "the last days." 

The Eastern Question. 
"The Eastern question" is the problem of dom- 
inance over the Bosphorus, the Dardanelles, and 
who shall be the power behind the throne over 
Constantinople. Russia for ages has craved an 
outlet to the sea. Through the Bosphorus has 
been the most probable route for the ill-fated em- 
pire. Germany also, of later years, has sought 
an outlet through the Bosphorus to the markets 
Of the world. Turkey has almost been driven 



222 Adventism and the Bible. 

from Europe. But the nations of Europe have 
thought best to leave the control of this impor- 
tant water passageway in the hands of Turkey. 
This serves as a balance of power in a practical 
way. Some have thought Turkey would be driven 
from Europe eventually. Adventists have ex- 
pected this. They make Turkey's move a matter 
of great concern. When Turkey is driven from 
Europe, so they have it figured out, the end of the 
world will come. It would be interesting to see 
just how they would go about patching up their 
theory should Turkey be forced to leave Constan- 
tinople. Turkey cannot move to Jerusalem, now 
that General Allenby has blocked the possibility 
of such a move. 

The prophecy is found in Dan. 11 : 44, 45. 

The chain of prophecy starts with the break- 
ing up of the Grecian empire of Alexander the 
Great. Alexander died in 321 B.C. His king- 
dom was divided between his four leading gen- 
erals — the west, Macedonia, going to Cassander ; 
the north, Asia Minor, going to Lysimachus ; the 
east, Syria, going to Seleucus; and the south, 
Egypt, going to Ptolemy. 

As a result of the wars that followed, in time 
there came to be but two divisions — the "north" 
and the "south." We read that the "king of the 
north" was to "plant the tabernacle of his palace 
between the seas in the glorious holy mountain," 
yet was to come to his end with none to help him. 
(Dan. 11: 45.) This, Adventists contend, is a 
prophecy of Turkey. Turkey, so they argue, oc- 



Adventism and the Bible. 223 

cupies the territory originally held by the "king 
of the north;" hence Turkey is the "king of the 
north" to-day. Turkey also occupies the terri- 
tories of the original kings of the south and the 
east. She is, therefore, the king of the south as 
well as the north. And the prophecy presents a 
warfare between the king of the north and the 
king of the south ! A civil war, in all probability ! 

Volumes have been written on the subject of 
the Eastern question, but we choose only to point 
out the leading errors in thus attempting to 
wrest an important passage out of its setting. 

The entire passage is Dan. 11 : 40-45. 

An attempt is made to find a fulfillment of this 
utterance in Turkey's invasion of Egypt in 1798. 
Turkey was the king of the north, and Napoleon 
was king of the south. This leaves the Turks 
masters of Egypt, with "tidings" from the east 
and the north, Russia, troubling them. 

1. In this encounter the Turk was to "enter 
also into the glorious land." But the Turk held 
the "glorious land" in 1798; hence he could not 
enter that which he had already entered and held. 

2. In this encounter "many countries" were 
to be "overthrown" as a result of the king of the 
north's entering into the "glorious land." But 
only Napoleon was whipped and compelled to re- 
treat in 1798. 

3. In this encounter in which the king of the 
north was to figure, Edom, Moab, and Ammon 
were to escape out of his hand. But there were 
no Edom, Moab, and Ammon in 1798. 



224 Adventism and the Bible. 

4. In this king-of-the-north encounter Egypt 
also was to be subdued. But in 1798 Egypt only 
was wrested from Napoleon. 

The truth of the matter is, the king of the 
north lived and died in B.C. time. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



A Glance at the Apocalypse. 



That the book of Revelation holds a very im- 
portant place in the scheme of redemption every 
one should be willing to admit; but that it is a 
book of mystery, such as many have attempted to 
make of it, the writer of these lines most firmly 
denies. "Revelation" does not mean "puzzle." 
In the book of Revelation the scheme of redemp- 
tion is made easy. It is not a book of doctrine; 
it is a book of hope. In the book of Revelation 
truth triumphant is portrayed. There are a num- 
ber of symbols that have been made most difficult 
of understanding during the past hundred years 
by earnest, but misguided, enthusiasts; and we 
wish simply to point these out and to make a con- 
servative effort to find meanings in them that will 
be in keeping with the simplicity of other por- 
tions of the Book of God. 

The Dragon. 

We find the "dragon" mentioned in connection 
with events outside of the Revelation. 

1. At the Birth of Christ.— In the twelfth 
chapter of Revelation it is stated that, at the 
time of the birth of Christ, the "dragon" stood 
before the "woman" who gave birth unto our 
Lord. But it was Herod, exercising the temporal 

15 



226 Adventism and the Bible. 

power of Rome, who stood up to slay the child. 
Hence, in this instance, Herod is called the 
"dragon." 

2. In Heaven. — In the twelfth chapter of Rev- 
elation we are told that when Christ ascended to 
heaven he cast out the old serpent, who is called 
the "dragon." The serpent, of course, was Sa- 
tan. This identifies the "dragon" as a personifi- 
cation of Satan. Herod, therefore, in acting as 
the "dragon," was nothing more nor less than an 
agent of the devil. 

The Beast. 
In the thirteenth chapter of Revelation we are 
told that this "dragon" gave his seat and his au- 
thority to another personality (presumably an- 
other), called the "beast." The devil is the in- 
carnation of evil, and his seat, which all will ad- 
mit, is headquarters of all evil. But we have 
found that Satan and the dragon are one. What- 
ever the "beast" was, therefore, or was to become, 
he was to exercise the same power that was exer- 
cised by the dragon and Satan. This identifies 
the "beast" with the dragon and the devil. The 
"beast," therefore, is the incarnation of all evil in 
this world. 

The Image of the Beast. 
If the reader will note carefully, he will find 
that the writer of Revelation is developing a tri- 
une Satanichead — the dragon, the beast, and the 
image — which corresponds in every sense to the 



Adventism and the Bible. 227 

Godhead — God, Christ, and the Spirit. The 
Spirit exercises the power of Christ; Christ ex- 
ercises the power of God ; and the three are one. 
Just so, this "image" exercises all the power of 
the beast ; the beast exercises all the power of the 
dragon ; and the three are one. 

The Mark of the Beast. 

The Godhead has a "seal." (See Rev, 6, 7.) 
This "seal" is the "name" of the Father. (See 
Rev. 14: 1; 7: 3.) And the Satanichead, as 
would be expected, has a "mark" which, like the 
"seal" of the Godhead, is placed on the forehead 
of every worker of evil. 

Adventists have a way of proving to themselves 
that his "seal" is the Sabbath, and that the 
"mark" is Sunday keeping. They support such 
a contention as follows: The Sabbath was de- 
clared to be the "sign" between God and Israel. 
(Ezek. 20: 12.) Circumcision, in Rom. 4: 11, is 
said to have been a "sign" between God and 
Abraham, also a "seal" of his righteousness. 
Hence, "sign" and "seal," as used in the plan of 
God, are one. As the Sabbath, therefore, was a 
"sign" of God, it was God's "seal." 

But let us not draw conclusions too hastily. 
We have just seen that circumcision was a "sign." 
Now, since circumcision is God's "sign," and since 
"sign" and "seal" are the same, what keeps cir- 
cumcision from being the "seal" of God spoken 
of in Revelation? 

Or, try this : The blood sprinkled on the door- 



228 Adventism and the Bible. 

posts in Egypt was a "sign" of Israel's faithful- 
ness. Since "sign" and "seal" are the same, what 
keeps the passover from being the "seal" of God 
in Revelation? 

Circumcision was a "sign" or "seal." 
The passover was a "sign" or "seal." 
The Sabbath was a "sign" or "seal." 
In Revelation we find a "seal." What is meant 
— circumcision, the passover, or the Sabbath? 
The truth of the matter is, neither is meant. 

In Rev. 1U: 1 we read that the "seal" of God is 
the "name" of the Father. 

This should make the interpretation of the 
"mark" of the beast an easy matter. The "mark" 
of the beast is the "name" of the beast. 

The Name of the Beast. 

Revelation does not tell the name of the beast. 
What God does not reveal belongs to himself. 
(Deut. 29: 29.) Worry not over matters which 
belong to God only. No Adventist will attempt 
to name the beast. His name is a secret with 
God. 

We might call the beast "nondescript," by 
which we would mean "without a name." He was 
part leopard, part lion, part bear, and part 
dragon. There is no such animal. The beast of 
Revelation is a composite of the natures of all 
animals — the animal in all animals. We have 
proved that the beast is the incarnation of all 
evil. His name, therefore, speaking in general 
terms, is "evil" or "devil." 



Adventism and the Bible. 229 

The Number of His Name. 
The number of his name is the mysterious com- 
bination of figures, 666. The pope is known to 
claim that he is 'Vicar of Christ" on earth. The 
Latin for this title is "Vicarius Filii Dei." Ad- 
ventists, by taking the numerical values of these 
letters, find the number 666 as follows : 

V 5 

I 1 

C 100 

A 

R 

I 1 

U 5 

S 

F 

I 1 

L 50 

I 1 

I 1 

D 500 

E 

I 1 

Total 666 

But the foregoing coincidence is no more of a 
mystery than the following : 

KAI SER 
SER VIA 

KUL TUR 
TUR KEY 

JOF FRE 
FRE NCH 



230 Adventism and the Bible. 

There are six of these individuals and three 
combinations of the six; hence six three times, 
or 666. 

Furthermore, the recent conference between 
capital and labor was convened on the sixth of 
the month and there were sixty-six delegates — 
6661 

The Three Angels' Messages. 

These messages are found in the fourteenth 
chapter of the book of Revelation. The mes- 
sages are as follows : 

1. The First Angel— Chapter 14: 6, 7. An- 
nouncing the "everlasting gospel" and the "judg- 
ment." Adventists find a fulfillment of this mes- 
sage in the labors of Miller from 1831 to 1844. 
(See "Early Writings of Ellen G. White" pages 
232, 237, 25U; "Great Controversy," Old Edition, 
Chapters XIV., XV., XX.; also Andrews' "The 
Three Angels' Messages") 

2. The Second Angel. — Chapter 14: 8. An- 
nouncing "Babylon is fallen." This message was 
given, according to Mrs. E. G. White, "in the 
summer of 1844." ("Great Controversy," page 
232, Old Edition.) 

3. The Third Angel.— Chapter 14 : 9, 10. War- 
ring against the "beast" and his "image." This 
angel's message is fulfilled in the "Sabbath- 
reform" movement now being carried to all the 
world by Seventh-Day Adventists. 



Adventism and the Bible. 231 

The Nature of Prophecy. 

Peter declares that "no prophecy of the scrip- 
ture is of any private interpretation." (2 Pet. 
1 : 20.) If this is so, then prophecy has to do with 
universal events, such as the kingdoms of Baby- 
lon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, each of 
which was, in its turn, a universal kingdom; or 
such as the coming of the Messiah the first time 
or the coming of Christ the second time. Any 
movement, in order that it may become a subject 
of prophecy, must first become an integral part 
of "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and 
people." But private movements — never. The 
following are some of the private movements in 
the world that have claimed for themselves the 
distinction of being subjects of divine prean- 
nouncement : 

Russellism. — Charles T. Russell, founder of 
"Millennial Dawn," discovered that he himself 
was the object of a special prophecy in Matt. 24: 
46. 

Koreshanity. — This is the movement of Cyrus 
W. Teed, Estaro, Lee County, Fla. Teed found 
that he was spoken of in Revelation as the one 
who was to "overcome." Teed taught the possi- 
bility of completely overcoming human passion. 
He taught that he was the reincarnated Christ. 

Christian Science. — To Mrs. Eddy her move- 
ment was the reinstated kingdom of Christ in 
the world, and she herself was the Christ in per- 
son. (See "Science and Health," etc., pages 55, 
SU7.) 



232 Adventism and the Bible. 

Mormonism. — The Book of Mormon, to a fol- 
lower of Joe Smith, is the "little book" of Rev. 10. 

Adventism. — Time would fail us to find all 
there is in the Bible concerning Adventism. 

But in answer to all these private-movement 
contentions Peter still declares : "No prophecy of 
the scripture is of any private interpretation." 

A Probable Meaning of the Three 

Angels' Messages. ■ _■ 

I am entirely cured of the foolish notion of at- 
tempting to find movements among men that will 
serve as direct fulfillments of any portion of the 
book of Revelation; but if the reader will have 
such an application relative to the messages we 
have just considered, let him consider the follow- 
ing method of disposing of them : 

The Reformation the First Angel. — Martin Lu- 
ther preached that "now, after the gospel had 
been preached in its purity, the end was to come." 
("History of the Church," by George Fisher, page 
4-51.) Here is a universal movement announcing 
the gospel and the judgment, the two themes of 
the first angel. 

Denominationalism the Second Angel. — After 
the Reformation went into all the world, the 
movement split into a multitude of private or- 
ganizations, each of which pointed to its fellow 
communion as "Babylon." For years there was a 
perfect "Babel" of tongues among the sects. The 
fall of "Babylon" is the theme of the second angel. 

Missions the Third Angel. — By this we mean 



Adventism and the Bible. 233 

the gospel in its purity to all the world. This is a 
message against worshiping the devil and images. 
And this is the theme of the third angel. 

Christian Unity. 

In the eighteenth chapter of Revelation we are 
told that an angel comes down from heaven and 
the whole world is lighted with his glory. This 
angel, coming after the other three, might fit- 
tingly be termed the "fourth angel." This angel 
unifies, brings in light, and dispels darkness. 
This message is due the world at the present 
time. And, accordingly, we find just such a trend 
of things in the world at the present day. This 
movement announces "unity." Beyond doubt, all 
honest professed Christians can agree to speak 
where the Bible speaks and to remain silent where 
it is silent. All can agree to be united in essen- 
tials, to allow liberty in nonessentials, and to ex- 
ercise charity in all things. 

Such a message is due the world ; such a mes- 
sage is in the world. It is not a message that is 
being proclaimed by some sect or some private 
organization. It is a call for unity among the 
professed children of God. Unity is coming. It 
is the next step upward. Creeds are doomed. 
The Bible, and the Bible only, is yet to become the 
sole guidebook of the weary pilgrim on his jour- 
ney to that better country. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 
Revelation Revealed. • 

The Book of Revelation is the Divine Drama 
of the Ages. It is the Master Poem of All Time. 
In order to understand its Message, read it 
through at a single sitting, just as you would 
read an interesting story. Then close the Book 
and ask yourself the question: "What is the Les- 
son it teaches?" If your ear has been attuned to 
the many Voices it utters and the one lesson it 
conveys, your answer must of necessity be some- 
thing like this : "THERE IS A DEADLY CON- 
FLICT GOING ON IN THE WORLD BE- 
TWEEN EVIL, ON THE ONE HAND, AND 
RIGHTEOUSNESS, ON THE OTHER; AND 
RIGHTEOUSNESS, SOME DAY, IS GOING TO 
BE VICTOR." 

You sit for an hour and view some absorbing 
play. You then go home and discuss the "moral" 
in the play. But you never ask: "Why was so 
and so in the play?" That part of the play is 
immaterial. Just so in this Poem, this Play, this 
Drama. The characters are presented as charac- 
ters, as parts of the whole, each contributing to 
the one Lesson in the Poem, and not as ends in 
themselves. You should, therefore, make no ef- 
fort to interpret the symbols as individuals, sep- 
arated from the parts they play in the Drama. 



Adventism and the Bible. 235 

You will find "Star" characters in the Drama — 
the Dragon, the Beast, the Old Scarlet Woman, 
the Pure Woman clothed with the Sun, the Lamb 
Slain, Michael, and the "KING OF KINGS, AND 
LORD OF LORDS." 

Note the climatic trend of the Book. Watch 
closely how Righteousness corners Evil. Note 
how the Generals of the Devil are captured in the 
Last Great Drive of the Ages, but how he himself 
escapes, only to be arrested later by an angel 
from heaven. Visualize all these characters ap- 
pearing on the living stage before you. 

PART I. 

A Harvest of Tares. 

prologue. 

Chapter 1. — Time, A.D. 96. Place, a recess in a cliff on 
the Isle of Patmos, off the west coast of Asia Minor. 
John has been banished thither by the Emperor Nero. 
Immediate time of writing, the Lord's day. John hears 
a Voice behind him, and looks around, to behold the Son 
of Man, amidst the Seven Golden Candlesticks, hold- 
ing seven Stars in his hand. John is bidden to write 
what he sees in a Book. 

ACT I. 

The Bacillus of Error Penetrating the Sacred 
Leaven of the Gospel. 
Chapters 2 and 3. — Internal condition of the seven 
churches then in Asia Minor, showing how the seeds of 
Error had taken root in these churches. 

Scene 1. — Ephesus. Perfect at first in toil, 
works, and patience; but, gradually slackening 
he?' tension, falls from this happy state. 



236 Adventism and the Bible. 

Scene 2. — Smyrna. Poor in this world's goods, 
but rich in faith, yet had in her those who pro- 
fessed outwardly to be true, but inwardly were 
hypocrites. 

Scene 3. — Pergamum. A faithful witness for 
God, though harbored those who taught openly 
certain known and admitted errors. 

Scene U. — Thyatira. Commended for her love, 
works, faith, ministry, patience, yet condemned 
for allowing Jezebel to lead certain ones to com- 
mit fornication. 

Scene 5. — Sardis. Professing to be alive, was 
dead; but there were a few in her who had not 
died. 

Scene 6. — Philadelphia. An open door is set 
before the church, so that she might escape from 
her undesirable condition if she cares to do so. 

Scene 7. — Laodicea. Strong in form, but weak 
in spirit. She has the letter, but not the life. 
She is neutral — "neither cold nor hot." She af- 
firms nothing; she denies nothing — and she is 
spewed out. 

ACT II. 
Deeper Working of the Bacillus of Error. 

Chapters 4: 1 to 8: 1. — Internal condition of the Gospel 
during the Ages, showing how the seeds of Error, once 
allowed to take root, spring up and crowd out the Plant 
of Life. 

Scene 1.— The Throne of God. 
Scene 2. — The Lamb that opened the Book. 
Scene 3. — A Rider, on a White Horse, going 
forth to conquer. 

Scene U. — A Rider, on a Red Horse, taking 



Adventism and the Bible. 237 

Peace from the Earth, and a commandment to 
slay one another. 

Scene 5. — A Rider, with a pair of Balances in 
his hands, sitting on a Black Horse. 

Scene 6. — Death, sitting on a Pale Horse, fol- 
lowed by Hades and Famine. 

Scene 7. — Souls of Martyrs, crying under the 
Altar. 

Scene 8. — A great Earthquake, the Sun is dark- 
ened, the Moon turns to Blood, and Nature is con- 
vulsed. 

Scene 9. — An Angel flies through the heavens 
with the Seal of the Living God, sealing 144,000 
Jews, 12,000 out of each tribe. 

Scene 10. — Panoramic view of the Redeemed — 
in addition to the 144,000 Jews — redeemed out of 
"every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and peo- 
ple." 

Scene 11. — A Period of Silence. 

ACT III. 

The Bacillus of Political Strife. 

Chapters 8: 2 to 10: 1. — Internal Political condition of 
the nations during the Gospel Age, showing the leading 
Varieties of Strife that come up in political life. 

Scene 1. — Seven angels are given each a Trum- 
pet. 

Scene 2. — An Angel offers Incense at the Altar. 

Scene 3. — Hail and Fire, mingled with Blood. 

Scene U. — A Burning Mountain cast into the 
sea. 

Scene 5. — A Star falls from Heaven, burning 



238 Adventism and the Bible. 

as a Torch, and it falls upon the Third Part of 
the Rivers and Fountains. 

Scene 6. — A Third Part of the Sun, Moon, and 
Stars darkened. 

Scene 7. — A Voice, stating that the other three 
of the Seven Trumpets will be WOES. 

Scene 8. — Another Star falls from Heaven, and 
to him is given the Key of the Bottomless Pit. 
He opens the Pit, and forms like Locusts come out 
of it and become very active, tormenting people. 

Scene 9. — A Voice is heard, commanding the 
Four Angels that were bound on the River Eu- 
phrates to be loosened. Great Destruction fol- 
lows. 

ACT IV. 
Bearing Testimony to the Truth. 
Chapters 10 and 11. — Showing the arrangement for wit- 
nessing to the Truth during the Gospel Age. 

Scene 1. — John eats a Little Book. This is 
sweet. 

Scene 2. — John is commanded to go tell the 
contents of the Little Book. This is bitter. 

Scene 3. — The Temple is measured with a Reed. 

Scene U. — God's Two Witnesses — evidently the 
living Word and the living Disciple— are killed 
with the sword and live again. 

Scene 5. — The Seventh Trumpet sounds, 
praises break out in heaven, and THIS BRINGS 
THE END ! 



Adventism and the Bible. 239 

PART II. 

Sowing and Reaping. 

act I. 

The Eternal Conflict Between Righteousness and 
Error During the Gospel Age. 

Chapters 12 to 16 : 18. — Representing the Planting of the 
Seeds of Truth, the sowing of the Seeds of Error, and 
the Harvest of Error. 

Scene 1. — Truth, in the form of a Woman, is 
seen in Heaven; and she gives birth to a Son, 
who, in time, is caught up to God, and the Woman 
takes refuge in the Wilderness. 

Scene 2. — A Great Red Dragon appears in 
Heaven, standing ready to devour the Son that is 
to be born of the Woman. 

Scene 3. — There is War in Heaven between 
Michael, Righteousness, and the Dragon, Error; 
and Error is cast out. 

Scene 4. — The Dragon, cast down to the Earth, 
persecutes the Woman. 

Scene 5. — A Beast comes up out of the Sea, 
works jointly with the Dragon, and persecutes 
the Woman, overcoming her Seed, is wounded, 
taken captive. 

Scene 6. — Another Beast comes up out of the 
earth and assists the Beast that works jointly 
with the Dragon. 

Scene 7. — The Beast coming up out of the 
Earth, makes an Image to the Beast that came 
up out of the Sea, and causes all to worship the 
Image. 



240 Adventism and the Bible. 

Scene 8. — The 144,000 are seen standing on 
the Sea of Glass offering Eternal Praise. 

Scene 9. — An Angel flies through the Heavens 
with the Everlasting Gospel, preaching the Gos- 
pel to every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, 
and People. 

Scene 10. — Another Angel flies through the 
midst of Heaven and cries, "Babylon is Fallen," 
thus announcing beforehand the ultimate fall of 
Evil. 

Scene 11. — Still another Angel flies through the 
Heavens, warning against worshiping this trium- 
virate of Error — the Dragon, the Beast, and the 
Image. 

Scene 12. — A Voice pronouncing blessings on 
them that "die in the Lord." 

Scene 13. — One comes out of the Temple, har- 
vesting the Earth, and treads the Winepress 
alone. 

ACT II. 
Harvesting the Seeds of Error. 

Chapters 15 and 16. — Demonstrating that he who sows 
to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption. 

Scene 1. — Seven angels, each with a Bowl filled 
with a plague, present themselves on the Stage. 

Scene 2. — A Great Chorus, made up of those 
who had gotten the victory over the Beast, the 
Image, his Mark, his Name, and the Number of 
his Name, is heard rendering Praise. 

Scene 3. — The Seven Angels come out of the 
Temple, girded with Vengeance, and the Temple 
is filled with Smoke. 



Adventism and the Bible. 241 

Scene 1*. — Great Voices commissioning the An- 
gels to pour out their Bowls of Wrath upon Men. 

Scene 5. — The First Bowl is poured out, and 
grievous Sores break out on the worshipers of 
the Beast. 

Scene 6. — The Second Bowl is poured out, the 
Sea becomes as the Blood of a Dead Man, and ev- 
ery Creature in it dies. 

Scene 7 . — The Third Bowl is poured out, and 
the Rivers and Fountains of Water become as 
Blood. 

Scene 8. — The Angel of the Waters pronounce 
the work of the Seven Angels Righteous. 

Scene 9. — The Fourth Bowl is poured out, and 
men are scorched with fire. 

Scene 10. — The Fifth Bowl is poured out, and 
the Kingdom of the Beast is filled with Darkness. 
The Dragon, the Beast, and the Image, the Tri- 
umvirate of Evil, all gnaw their Tongues because 
of their Pains. 

Scene 11. — The Sixth Bowl is poured out, and 
the Great River Euphrates is dried up. The 
Kings of the East prepare for Battle. 

Scene 12. — Three Unclean Spirits come out of 
the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast and the 
False Prophet (the Image of the Beast), and 
these foment strife. 

Scene 13. — The Seventh Bowl is poured out, 
and great Voices break out from the Throne, and 
THIS BRINGS THE END. 

16 



242 Adventism and the Bible. 

PART III. 
The Last Surrender. 

Chapters 16: 18 to 20: 1. — Representing the Last Great 
Drive of the Ages, in which the Archenemy of Truth 
and his Generals are all outgeneraled and made to 
surrender. 

Scene 1. — Great Voices, Thunder, Lightning, 
and an Earthquake appear on the scene. Baby- 
lonia divided into three parts and is given her 
Reward. Great Hail falls from Heaven on Men. 

Scene 2. — The Mother of Harlots of All Ages 
is revealed, sitting on a Scarlet-Colored Beast, 
Drunk. 

Scene 3. — Another Angel comes down from 
Heaven and lightens the Earth with his glory. 
He pronounces Doom on Babylon. 

Scene J>. — A Great Voice calls God's People out 
of Babylon. 

Scene 5. — An Angel plunges a Millstone into 
the Sea, thus indicating the fall of Babylon, never 
to rise again. 

Scene 6. — The Great Chorus praising God for 
his Wisdom and Justice is heard. 

Scene 7. — Invitations are sent out to those who 
are to attend the Great Marriage Feast. 

Scene 8. — The Armies of Heaven march out in 
Battle Array. 

Scene 9. — The Fowls of Heaven are called to 
eat the Carcases of the Dead. 

Scene 10. — The Beast and the False Prophet 
are captured and cast into the Lake of Fire. 
(And later:) 



Adventism and the Bible. 243 

Scene 11. — An Angel comes down from Heaven 
and lays hold on the Old Dragon, the Serpent, the 
Devil, Satan, and casts him into the Bottomless 
Pit for a THOUSAND YEARS. (One thousand 
years later:) 

Scene 12. — Satan is loosed out of the Bottom- 
less Pit. Satan gathers the wicked and marshals 
them against the Beloved City, and fire comes 
down from God out of Heaven and devours them. 
AND THIS BRINGS THE END. 

PART IV. 

All Things New. 

Chapters 21 and 22. — Introducing the Reader to some of 
the Good Things awaiting the Redeemed. 

Scene 1. — A New Heaven and a New Earth. 

Scene 2. — The Holy City descends from 
Heaven. 

Scene 3. — A Guide appears, explaining some of 
the Marvels of the Beloved City. 

Scene U. — The Architecture of the City is ex- 
plained and the City is Measured. 

Scene 5. — A View of the River of Life. 

Scene 6. — A View of the Tree of Life. 

Scene 7. — John personally instructed about the 
Book. 

Scene 8. — The world-wide Invitation to 
"COME." 

Scene 9. — Warning not to ADD to nor to 
TAKE FROM the Book. 



244 Adventism and the Bible. 

Scene 10.— A Voice anonuncing: "SURELY I 
COME QUICKLY." 

Scene 11. — The Benediction of John the Be- 
loved: "THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS 
CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN I" 



CHAPTER XXX. 



The Rebirth of Adventism. 



From July 1 to July 21, 1919, there was held at 
Takoma Park, District of Columbia (the Seventh- 
Day Adventist headquarters), a summer Bible 
conference of Seventh-Day Adventists. This con- 
ference was called by the General Conference at 
its spring sitting. There was in attendance ed- 
itors, Bible and history teachers, ministers, and 
members of the General Conference Committee. 

Elder A. G. Daniels, president of the General 
Conference, was chairman of the conference, and 
at the opening session he set forth the object of 
the meeting as follows : 

"As already intimated, the one great object of this con- 
ference is to unite in a definite, practical, spiritual study 
of the word of God. The committee appointed to suggest 
topics for study has prepared the following: 

" 'The Person and Mediatorial Work of Christ.' 

" 'The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit.' 

" 'The Two Covenants.' 

" 'The Principles of Prophetic Interpretation.' 

" 'The Eastern Question.' 

" 'The Beast Power of Revelation.' 

" 'The 1,260 Days.' 

" 'The United States in Prophecy.' 

" 'The Seven Trumpets.' 

" 'Matthew 24.' 

"'The Identification of the Ten Kingdoms.'" (The 
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, August 21, 1919.) 



246 Adventism and the Bible. 

That there is a "sound of going in the tops of 
the mulberry trees" among Seventh-Day Advent- 
ists is certain from this conference itself. For 
the last few years first this one and then that one 
has come to strikingly similar conclusions regard- 
ing certain accepted doctrines of Adventism. 
Many have left the faith simply because they 
were unable to harmonize obvious Bible teachings 
with Advent doctrines that were formulated back 
in 1831 to 1844. Others, not feeling themselves 
strong enough to break away from the movement, 
have unwillingly compromised by cramping them- 
selves into doctrinal grooves and crevices that are 
too little for any well-formed mind to move 
around in. There are many such Adventists to- 
day, and they are restlessly unhappy. Slowly, 
but surely, a multitude of forces have combined 
to arrest the attention of the leaders in the cause, 
and at last they have sat up and taken notice that 
there is a decided "knock" in the machinery some- 
where. Many of their young professors, follow- 
ing their natural bent for more and more learn- 
ing, have supplemented their meager Advent 
teachings with extensive courses in standard in- 
stitutions of learning. This number is limited, to 
be sure ; but it is strong enough in its united call 
for a thorough restudy of antiquated dogmas to 
force just such a conference as this one. 

Elder Daniels, in his opening address, quoted 
the following statements from the "Testimonies" 
of Mrs. E. G. White: 

"Men rest satisfied with the light already received 
from God's word, and discourage any further investiga- 



Adventism and the Bible. 247 

tion of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and 
seek to avoid discussion. . . . There is reason to fear 
that they may not be clearly discriminating- between truth 

and error I have been shown that many who 

profess to have a knowledge of present truth know not 
what they believe. They do not understand the evidences 
of their faith. They have not just appreciation of the 
work for the present time. . . . There are men now 
preaching to others who will find, upon examining the po- 
sitions they hold, that there are many things for which 
they can give no satisfactory reason. . . . And there 
are many in the church who take it for granted that they 
understand what they believe; but, until controversy 
arises, they do not know their own weakness. . . . 
The Lord calls upon all who believe his word to awake out 
of sleep. Precious light has come, appropriate for this 
time. . . . Believers are not to rest in suppositions 
and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. . . . 
Agitate, agitate, agitate. Whatever may be man's intel- 
lectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that 
there is no need for thorough and continuous searching of 
the Scriptures for greater light. . . . We are to catch 
the first gleamings of truth. . . . When God's people 
are at ease and satisfied with their present enlightenment, 
we may be sure that he will not favor them." {"Testimo- 
nies for the Church,'" Volume V., pages 706-709.) 

It is significant that this conference was opened 
with a quotation from Mrs. White. Anything 
from Mrs. White is authoritative and conclusive. 
These are strong passages, indeed; but strong 
criticism of many accepted positions held to-day 
by Adventists was in anticipation by Elder Dan- 
iels, and something strong was needed to fore- 
stall any break that might result. The foregoing- 
sub jects were not only to be restudied, but many 
of them were to be called in question. This Dan- 



248 Adventism and the Bible. 

iels knew. The conference was to mean the be- 
ginning of a change of views concerning some of 
the most vital doctrines of Adventism. 

There were the usual opposing types of ad- 
vancement present — namely, the conservatives 
and the radicals. The radicals, for the most part, 
were made up of a number of young men who 
have, the past few years, dared to venture out 
into the great intellectual ocean of the world — 
a world pitiably unknown to the masses of Ad- 
ventism, both preachers and laymen. And asso- 
ciated with these young scholastics were certain 
Bible teachers of mediocre learning and a sprin- 
kle of editors and writers of the movement. The 
conservatives, of course, were second and third- 
rate teachers, returned missionaries who did not 
make good in foreign fields, preachers, conference 
presidents, and such like. This group is always 
dyed in the wool and cocksure of its faith; and 
these were unmoved. 

The Bible College at Takoma Park has four 
progressive men on its faculty — Christen M. So- 
renson, Edwin Albersworth, John W. Field, and 
Professor Lacy. They are all young men, and 
each has a worthy handle to his name which has 
been won from universities outside of Adventism. 

I did not attend the conference, but the spirit 
of the meetings leaked out. The following are 
some of the questions that arose during the three- 
weeks' study: 

1. The Eastern Question. — Every one seemed 
to be in the air on this question — that is, no one 



Adventism and the Bible. 249 

had any new application of the Eastern question 
that attracted any attention or that was even so 
much as mentioned. The idea of the application 
of the eleventh chapter of Daniel to the Turkish 
empire of to-day is fast losing in popularity with 
forward-looking Adventists. It seems probable 
that the old-time positions respecting the East- 
ern question will be abandoned in toto. 

2. The Symbols of Revelation. — The "beast" of 
Revelation seemed to have received another 
"deadly wound" at this conference. The radicals 
are less and less inclined to apply the old dog- 
matic sureness respecting this mysterious animal. 
This group is beginning to see that the book of 
Revelation was written for those who lived in 96 
A.D. as well as for those living in 1919 A.D. In 
other words, they are beginning to see that the 
book of Revelation is a most wonderful drama of 
the ages, and that it is folly to try to find his- 
torical application for disjointed characters in the 
book that have meanings only as parts of the 
drama and not at all as separate symbols. The 
book as a unit is a lesson — the assurance that 
righteousness will finally triumph over error. 

3. The Law of Galatians. — The book of Gala- 
tians came up for study, and there was almost a 
unanimous verdict that the "law" of Galatians is 
the entire legal system of the Pentateuch rather 
than the Ten Commandments. Old Father Cavi- 
ness, for years a missionary to Old Mexico, stated 
that he had so believed for years. Once the ice 
was broken, it was found that nearly all had long 



250 Adventism and the Bible. 

held the same views. It is time that a change is 
taking place respecting the "law" of this epistle. 
More than ten years ago, in Professor Sorenson's 
Bible Doctrines Class at Keene, Texas, I con- 
tended for this very position ; but all the consola- 
tion I received was the warning that McCutchen, 
then president of the Texas Conference, had been 
sidetracked on the same error and was almost 
turned out of the ministry because of it. But 
Sorenson told me personally after the confer- 
ence was over that Adventists have doubtless 
been too narrow on the law of Galatians. It 
seemed good to hear him make this confession. 

4. Matt. 2U. — W. W. Prescott, for years editor 
of the Review and Herald and one of their fore- 
most writers, held that this chapter doubtless has 
a double meaning, the first and foremost applying 
back in the first century. This is a mere compro- 
mise, always in evidence before the entire truth 
is assumed. The next step will be to eliminate 
the alternate view, of course. 

5. Mrs. Ellen G. White. — Professor Lacy is a 
distant relative of Mrs. White's, and it would 
seem that he has a right to speak of her pretended 
revelations if any one has. He assumed the most 
radical position that has ever been taken against 
her "visions." Canright, the outstanding oppo- 
nent of Adventism, has never denied that Mrs. 
White thought herself to be divinely inspired. 
But Professor Lacy does not think so, if the fol- 
lowing has any meaning: He told those at the 
conference that on one occasion he walked into 



Adventism and the Bible. 251 

her study and found her copying from another 
author. He would have thought little about it, 
perhaps, had she not thrown her apron over the 
volume that was lying in her lap and from which 
she was copying. And while he remained in the 
room she sat with her apron over the book. An- 
other such conference, and Mrs. White will be 
labeled and set aside, where she should long ago 
have been placed. 

This was, indeed, a significant conference. It 
was a great forward step in the ranks of Advent- 
ism. But that it may finally lead to a split in the 
movement is probable. 

Adventism, like every movement that is finding 
itself called upon to "loosen up," has much to gain 
and something to lose when it takes the step for- 
ward. Some of its good members will fall by the 
way, unable to see the meaning of it all. A few 
useless conservatives will attempt to start a 
counter movement. But, on the other hand, hun- 
dreds that are at the present time living lives of 
hypocrisy and are daily preaching that which 
they no longer believe will welcome with a sigh 
of relief the loosening process. Hundreds who 
otherwise would leave the ranks will be saved a 
few years longer to the cause. Broader-minded 
men and women will be attracted by the new 
pleas. A more respectable membership will grace 
their ranks. But the ultimate end, let me warn 
this forward-stepping contingent, is far in the 
future — and fatal. 



